In Depth | Earth – NASA Solar System Exploration
While Earth is only the fifth largest planet in the solar system, it is the only world in our solar system with liquid water on the surface. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of which are made of rock and metal.
In Depth | Our Solar System - NASA Solar System Exploration
Our solar system consists of our star, the Sun, and everything bound to it by gravity – the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; dwarf planets such as Pluto; dozens of moons; and millions of asteroids, comets, and meteoroids.
Earth By the Numbers - NASA Solar System Exploration
Jan 9, 2025 · Our Mission.And the one planet that NASA studies more than any other. NASA. Solar System Exploration Our Galactic Neighborhood. Skip Navigation. menu close modal ... Earth's Moon Stay Connected. Solar System. Our Solar System; Sun; Kuiper Belt; Oort Cloud; Beyond Our Solar System; Eclipses; Planets. About Planets; PLANETS Mercury; Venus; Earth;
What is a Planet? | Planets – NASA Solar System Exploration
Everyone knows that Earth, Mars and Jupiter are planets. But both Pluto and Ceres were once considered planets until new discoveries triggered scientific debate about how to best describe them—a vigorous debate that continues to this day.
In Depth | Sun – NASA Solar System Exploration
It’s about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from Earth and it’s our solar system’s only star. Without the Sun’s energy, life as we know it could not exist on our home planet. From our vantage point on Earth, the Sun may appear like an unchanging source of light and heat in the sky.
Neptune By the Numbers – NASA Solar System Exploration
Jan 9, 2025 · Neptune is the eighth and most distant planet from the Sun. It’s the fourth largest, and the first planet discovered with math.
In Depth | Saturn – NASA Solar System Exploration
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system. Like fellow gas giant Jupiter, Saturn is a massive ball made mostly of hydrogen and helium. Saturn is not the only planet to have rings, but none are as spectacular or as complex as Saturn's.
Mars By the Numbers – NASA Solar System Exploration
Jan 9, 2025 · Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited entirely by robots.
In Depth | Mars – NASA Solar System Exploration
Mars is no place for the faint-hearted. It’s dry, rocky, and bitter cold. The fourth planet from the Sun, Mars is one of Earth's two closest planetary neighbors (Venus is the other). Mars is one of the easiest planets to spot in the night sky – it looks like a bright red point of light.
In Depth | Earth's Moon – NASA Solar System Exploration
The brightest and largest object in our night sky, the Moon makes Earth a more livable planet by moderating our home planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years.