3 largest planets in the solar system. Largest solar system

To determine how big a planet is, you need to take into account criteria such as its mass and diameter. The largest planet in the solar system by 300 times more than Earth , and its diameter is eleven times greater than that of the earth. For a list of the largest planets in the Solar System, their names, sizes, photos and what they are known for, read our rating.

Diameter, mass, length of day and orbital radius are given relative to the Earth.

PlanetDiameterWeightOrbital radius, a. e.Circulation period earthly years DayDensity, kg/m³Satellites
0.382 0.055 0.38 0.241 58.6 5427 0
0.949 0.815 0.72 0.615 243 5243 0
Earth1 1 1 1 1 5515 1
0.53 0.107 1.52 1.88 1.03 3933 2
11.2 318 5.2 11.86 0.414 1326 69
9.41 95 9.54 29.46 0.426 687 62
3.98 14.6 19.22 84.01 0.718 1270 27
3.81 17.2 30.06 164.79 0.671 1638 14
0.186 0.0022 39.2 248.09 6.387 1860 5

9. Pluto, diameter ~2370 km

Pluto is the second largest dwarf planet in the solar system after Ceres. Even when it was one of the full-fledged planets, it was far from the largest of them, since its mass is equal to 1/6 of the mass of the Moon. Pluto has a diameter of 2,370 km and is composed of rock and ice. It is not surprising that it is quite cold on its surface - minus 230 ° C

8. Mercury ∼ 4,879 km

A tiny world with a mass almost twenty times less than the mass of Earth, and a diameter 2 ½ less than Earth's. In fact, Mercury is closer in size to the Moon than to the Earth and is currently considered the smallest planet in the solar system. Mercury has a rocky surface dotted with craters. The Messenger spacecraft recently confirmed that deep craters on the shadowy side of Mercury contain icy water.

7. Mars ∼ 6,792 km

Mars is about twice smaller than Earth and has a diameter of 6.792 km. However, its mass is only a tenth of the earth's. This not very large planet in the solar system, the fourth closest to the Sun, has an inclination of its rotation axis of 25.1 degrees. Thanks to this, the seasons change on it, just like on Earth. A day (sol) on Mars is equal to 24 hours and 40 minutes. In the southern hemisphere, summers are hot and winters are cold, but in the northern hemisphere there are no such sharp contrasts, where both summer and winter are mild. We can say that these are ideal conditions for building a greenhouse and growing potatoes.

6. Venus ∼ 12,100 km

In sixth place in the ranking of the largest and smallest planets is heavenly body, named after the goddess of beauty. It is so close to the Sun that it is the first to appear in the evening and the last to disappear in the morning. Therefore, Venus has long been known as the “evening star” and “morning star”. It has a diameter of 12,100 km, almost comparable to the size of the Earth (1000 km less), and 80% of the Earth's mass.

The surface of Venus mainly consists of large plains of volcanic origin, the rest is made up of giant mountains. The atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, with thick clouds of sulfur dioxide. This atmosphere has the strongest greenhouse effect known in the solar system, and the temperature on Venus hovers around 460 degrees.

5. Earth ~ 12,742 km

The third planet closest to the Sun. Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has life. It has an axis tilt of 23.4 degrees, its diameter is 12,742 km, and its mass is 5.972 septillion kg.

The age of our planet is very respectable - 4.54 billion years. AND most At this time, it is accompanied by a natural satellite - the Moon. It is believed that the Moon was formed when the celestial body big size, namely Mars, impacted the Earth, causing the release of enough material that the Moon could form. The Moon has a stabilizing effect on the tilt of the Earth's axis and is the source of the tides of the oceans.

“It is rather inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is obvious that it is an Ocean” - Arthur C. Clarke.

4. Neptune ∼ 49,000 km

The gas giant planet of the Solar System is the eighth celestial body closest to the Sun. Neptune's diameter is 49,000 km, and its mass is 17 times that of Earth. It has powerful cloud bands (which, along with storms and cyclones, were photographed by Voyager 2). Wind speeds on Neptune reach 600 m/s. Due to its great distance from the Sun, the planet is one of the coldest, with temperatures in the upper atmosphere reaching minus 220 degrees Celsius.

3. Uranium ∼ 50,000 km

On the third line of the list largest planets The solar system is the seventh closest to the Sun, the third largest and the fourth heaviest of the worlds. The diameter of Uranus (50,000 km) is four times that of Earth, and its mass is 14 times more mass of our planet.

Uranus has 27 known moons, with sizes ranging from more than 1,500 km to less than 20 km in diameter. The planet's moons are made of ice. rocks and other microelements. Uranus itself has a rocky core surrounded by a blanket of water, ammonia and methane. The atmosphere consists of hydrogen, helium and methane with a top layer of clouds.

2. Saturn ∼ 116,400 km

The second largest planet in the solar system is known for its ring system. It was first noticed by Galileo Galilei in 1610. Galileo believed that Saturn was accompanied by two other planets that were on either side of it. In 1655, Christian Huygens, using an improved telescope, was able to see Saturn in sufficient detail to suggest that there were rings around it. They extend from 7,000 km to 120,000 km above the surface of Saturn, which itself has a radius 9 times that of Earth (57,000 km) and a mass 95 times that of Earth.

1. Jupiter ∼ 142,974 km

The first number is the winner of the planetary heavy hit parade, Jupiter, the largest planet, bearing the name of the Roman king of the gods. One of the five planets visible to the naked eye. It is so massive that it would contain the rest of the worlds of the solar system, minus the sun. The total diameter of Jupiter is 142.984 km. Given its size, Jupiter rotates very quickly, making one rotation every 10 hours. At its equator there is a fairly large centrifugal force, due to which the planet has a pronounced hump. That is, the diameter of Jupiter's equator is 9000 km larger than the diameter measured at the poles. As befits a king, Jupiter has many satellites (more than 60), but most of them are quite small (less than 10 km in diameter). Four largest moon, discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei, are named after the favorites of Zeus, the Greek equivalent of Jupiter.

What is known about Jupiter

Before the invention of the telescope, the planets were viewed as objects wandering across the sky. Therefore, the word “planet” is translated from Greek as “wanderer.” Our solar system has 8 known planets, although 9 celestial objects were originally recognized as planets. In the 1990s, Pluto was demoted from true planet status to dwarf planet status. A largest planet solar system is called Jupiter.


The radius of the planet is 69,911 km. That is, all the most major planets The solar system could fit inside Jupiter (see photo). And if we take only our Earth, then 1300 such planets will fit inside Jupiter’s body.

It is the fifth planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman god.

Jupiter's atmosphere is made up of gases, mainly helium and hydrogen, which is why it is also called the gas giant of the solar system. The surface of Jupiter consists of an ocean of liquid hydrogen.

Jupiter has the strongest magnetosphere of all the other planets, 20 thousand times stronger than Earth's magnetosphere.

The largest planet in the solar system rotates around its axis faster than all its “neighbors”. One full revolution takes just under 10 hours (the Earth takes 24 hours). Because of this rapid rotation, Jupiter is convex at the equator and “flattened” at the poles. The planet is 7 percent wider at the equator than at the poles.

The largest celestial body in the solar system revolves around the Sun once every 11.86 Earth years.

Jupiter broadcasts radio waves so strong that they can be detected from Earth. They come in two forms:

  1. strong bursts that occur when Io, the nearest big moons Jupiter, passes through certain regions of the planet's magnetic field;
  2. continuous radiation from the surface and high-energy particles of Jupiter in its radiation belts. These radio waves could help scientists explore the oceans on the space giant's satellites.

The most unusual feature of Jupiter


Undoubtedly main feature Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a giant hurricane that has raged for more than 300 years.

  • The diameter of the Great Red Spot is three times the diameter of the Earth, and its edge rotates around the center and counterclockwise at a tremendous speed (360 km per hour).
  • The color of the storm, which typically ranges from brick red to light brown, may be due to the presence of small amounts of sulfur and phosphorus.
  • The spot either increases or decreases over time. A hundred years ago, education was twice as large as it is now and significantly brighter.

There are many other spots on Jupiter, but only in Southern Hemisphere For some reason they exist for a long time.

Rings of Jupiter

Unlike Saturn's rings, which are clearly visible from Earth even through small telescopes, Jupiter's rings are very difficult to see. Their existence became known thanks to data from Voyager 1 (a NASA spacecraft) in 1979, but their origin was a mystery. Data from the Galileo spacecraft, which orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003, later confirmed that these rings were created by meteoroid impacts on small nearby moons of the huge planet itself.

Jupiter's ring system includes:

  1. halo - inner layer of small particles;
  2. the main ring is brighter than the other two;
  3. outer “web” ring.

The main ring is flattened, its thickness is about 30 km, and its width is 6400 km. The halo extends halfway from the main ring down to the Jovian cloud tops and expands as it interacts with magnetic field planets. The third ring is known as the gossamer ring because of its transparency.

Meteorites striking the surface of Jupiter's small inner moons kick up dust, which then enters orbit around Jupiter, forming rings.

Jupiter has 53 confirmed moons orbiting it and another 14 unconfirmed moons.

Jupiter's four largest moons - called the Galilean moons - are Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. The honor of their discovery belongs to Galileo Galilei, and this was in 1610. They are named in honor of those close to Zeus (whose Roman counterpart is Jupiter).

Volcanoes rage on Io; there is a subglacial ocean on Europa and perhaps there is life in it; Ganymede is the largest of the moons in the solar system, and has its own magnetosphere; and Callisto has the lowest reflectivity of the four Galilean satellites. There is a version that the surface of this moon consists of dark, colorless rock.

Video: Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system

We hope that we have given a complete answer to the question of which planet in the solar system is the largest!

What thoughts come to your mind when you look at the night sky strewn with billions of stars? That the universe is huge, and does it have a beginning, or which planet is the largest? And where is the end of this infinity? This mysterious and mysterious world has attracted scientists and astronauts for many years.

The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter

Scientists claim that our Earth is what it is only thanks to Jupiter. It was this planet that was one of the first to form after the big bang and helped in the formation of the remaining planets.

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and is in fifth place in terms of distance from the Sun. Its radius is 69,911 km. It will take about two years to get from Earth.

Jupiter has 67 satellites, which are arranged in such a way that they resemble a system of planets around the Sun. Its satellite Europa is of particular interest. Scientists admit that life is possible on it. And the satellite Ganymede, whose surface is covered with craters, is also the largest in the solar system.

The surface of Jupiter, which has no solid spots, is a boiling ocean of hydrogen and is a heat producer. The amount he gives is much more than he receives from the Sun. If he was 30% bigger, he could very well be a star.

This planet has the most short period rotation throughout the solar system. Because of this, winds constantly blow there, the speed of which reaches 600 km/h, which leads to the formation of atmospheric vortices.

The largest has been known for about three hundred years and is called the Great Red Spot. Its impressive size (41 thousand km) is several times larger than the Earth. But in Lately it is noticeably decreasing, today its value is 18 thousand km.

The smallest planet in the solar system is Mercury

People have been observing Mercury since ancient times. Its appearance at different times and on different sides of the Sun made it possible to think that these were completely different planets. It received its name in honor of the god of trade, Mercury.

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The circumference of this smallest planet in the solar system is 4879 km. The density of Mercury is greater than that of our planet, which indicates that the content of metals there is high.

Very large differences between daytime (350°C) and nighttime (170°C) temperatures are due to the fact that Mercury has no atmosphere. The close proximity to the Sun and very slow rotation also affect this temperature range. And yet scientists admit that there is ice there, falling from passing comets.

The composition of its crust resembles Earth, Mars and Venus, although there is more sulfur than in earth's crust. Logically, due to high temperatures, it should evaporate.

Scientists also cannot explain what causes the high density of Mercury. After all, it directly depends on weight. Gravity is 3 times less than on Earth. This planet holds many still unsolved secrets.

The hottest planet we know

The temperature on the surface of Venus is 475°C. It is quite enough to melt tin or lead. It is higher than on Mercury, which is located much closer to the Sun.

Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system; it was not always this way; it even had oceans of liquid that evaporated.

It served the purpose of education greenhouse effect. Today it is too overheated because of this and this process is increasing.

A very cold planet with temperatures below -200°C

Researchers unfairly neglect Uranus. In this major planet there is no line between different states. If you move to the core, you will notice how the gaseous state turns into a liquid, and then becomes more dense.

Due to the fact that Uranus is turned on its side, one side of it is not illuminated by the sun for 500 Earth months.

Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system.

In spring and autumn, the Sun rises every 9 hours. But even during the hours when it shines the temperature does not rise above -200°C

Space is fraught with many mysteries. With the naked eye, we can only see a tiny fraction of celestial objects, large and small. In addition to the Earth, other large cosmic bodies also revolve around the Sun. Some of them are much larger in size than ours. home planet. What are they, the largest planets in the solar system?

Diameter: 2,326 km

Opens a list of the largest planets in the Solar System. It is the second largest cosmic object after Pluto and the furthest dwarf planet from the Sun. Previously, Eris was called Xena. For some time it claimed to be the tenth planet in the solar system, but in 2006, along with Pluto, it was classified as a dwarf planet. For a long time It was believed that Eris was larger in size than Pluto, but recent studies made by the New Horizons spacecraft have proven that Pluto is still slightly larger than Eris.

The surface of this dwarf planet, like that of Pluto, consists of rocks, ice and methane snow.

Diameter: 2,326 km.

Diameter: 2,326 km

Until recently, it was one of the nine planets of the solar system. In 2006, after much debate, by decision of the International Astronomical Union, it was deprived of its status as an ordinary planet. Pluto is now considered the largest dwarf planet. It is one of the largest Kuiper Belt objects. Composed of ice and rock, Pluto is relatively small. For comparison: its volume is three times less than the volume of the Moon. The surface of this dwarf planet is an icy desert covered with many craters. Pluto has five moons: Kerberos, Styx, Hydra, Charon and Nix.

In 2006, automatic space station New Horizons, which aims to study Pluto and Charon. The device safely reached the planet's orbit and transmitted to Earth the collected data and photographs of Pluto and all its satellites.

Diameter: 2,372 km.

Diameter: 4879 km

It occupies eighth place in the ranking of the largest planets in the solar system. It is interesting because it is closest to the Sun, so the Mercury year lasts only 88 Earth days. At the same time, the length of a day on Mercury is 176 Earth days, and all due to the slow rotation of the planet around its axis.

The proximity to the Sun leads to the fact that on the side of the planet facing the sun the temperature reaches 349.9 °C.

The surface of Mercury is bleak - it is a lifeless desert, covered with craters of all sizes. The planet has no satellites.

Diameter: 4879 km.

Diameter: 6780 km

In 7th place on the list of the largest planets in the solar system is. This is one of the most studied planets by people - spacecraft from Earth have visited it more than 30 times. Mars is very interesting. The largest peak in the solar system is located here - Mount Olympus, whose height reaches 27 km. Mars has changing seasons, just like Earth, polar caps of frozen carbon dioxide and ice. A day here lasts 24 hours 40 minutes. Mars is one of the most suitable planets for colonization in the future.

Satellites of Mars: Deimos and Phobos.

Diameter: 6780 km.

Diameter: 12103 km

Continues the list of the largest planets in the Solar System. Named after the Roman goddess of love, Venus, the second planet from the Sun has several other poetic names: Evening Star and Morning Star. Venus is not much smaller than Earth. Although it belongs to the Earth-like planets, its conditions differ from those of Earth. The atmosphere on the planet consists mainly of carbon dioxide, and its surface is hidden by huge clouds of sulfuric acid. It is assumed that Venus is still experiencing active volcanic activity. The surface temperature is 460 °C.

Diameter: 12103 km.

Diameter: 12742 km

In 5th place on the list of the largest planets in the solar system is. This is one of the most unique planets in the observable universe, on which appeared intelligent life. Most of the planet (about 70%) is covered with water. Due to its location and slight tilt of the rotation axis, the planet was created optimal conditions for the origin of life.

The Earth has one satellite - the Moon.

Diameter: 12742 km.

Diameter: 49224 km

One of the largest and most distant planets from the Sun in the Solar System. This is a huge gas giant, whose mass is 17 times that of Earth. The planet's atmosphere consists of helium and hydrogen. Neptune's core is solid, made of rocks and ice. The planet is interesting because there are constant storms on its surface. incredible strength winds whose speed can reach 2100 km/h. Invisible to the naked eye, Neptune was discovered thanks to mathematical calculations.

Neptune is the third most massive planet in the solar system. The spacecraft visited it only once. It was Voyager 2, which flew close to the planet in 1989. It made it possible to obtain images of the most powerful cyclones and storms raging on the planet.

Neptune is surrounded by the most number of satellites - it has 14.

Diameter: 49224 km.

Diameter: 50724 km

Gas giant represents a very interesting object of research. It was visited only once by the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which transmitted images of Uranus to Earth. In the future, a full-scale study of the planet and its satellites is planned.

Uranus has a ring system and 27 moons ranging in size from 20 to 1500 km.

Diameter: 50724 km.

Diameter: 116464 km

It takes second place in the list of the largest planets in the solar system. Like Uranus and Neptune, it consists of a mixture of various gases that turn into a liquid state at depth. The mass of this gas giant is 95 times the mass of the Earth. Saturn is famous primarily for its rings and huge number of satellites. Today there are 62 of them. Titan, the largest of Saturn's moons, is larger than Mercury. Saturn is one of the most studied giant planets. It was visited by the Pioneer, Voyager and Cassini spacecraft.

Diameter: 116464 km.

Diameter: 139822 km

The gas giant, named after the supreme Roman deity, ranks first on the list of the largest planets in the Solar System. Its atmosphere consists of hydrogen, ammonia and methane. The mass of the giant is 2.5 times greater than the mass of all other planets in the solar system. Enormous storms and storms rage on the surface of Jupiter. One of them, the Great Red Spot, has been observed by scientists for several centuries. Jupiter has about 69 moons. The largest of them are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

Diameter: 139822 km.

The planet Jupiter was first seen 400 years ago. Then the first telescopes were just appearing, and through them it was possible to see this planet. The planet Jupiter captivates with its volume and scale. It is the largest planet in the Solar System in terms of volume, mass, and area.

By the way, there are planets that are 15 times larger than Jupiter, but this is only in theory. The planet was named Jupiter by the Romans, in honor of the supreme deity.

The largest planet in the solar system: interesting facts about Jupiter

It is one of the largest gas giants. Divided into internal space and atmospheric layer. The air is filled with 90% hydrogen and 10% helium. The planet also contains methane, silicon and ammonia. Carbon, oxygen, neon, and phosphine are present in small quantities.

The interior of the planet contains dense materials. A mixture of liquid hydrogen with helium and an outer layer of molecular hydrogen is called the core. It's not clear yet, but some believe the core may be rocky.

The question of the core was raised 20 years ago. It was assumed that it could reach from 12 to 45 Earth masses and cover from 4 to 14% of the mass of Jupiter. The closer you are to the core, the higher the temperature and pressure become. Near the core, the temperature reaches 35,700 degrees and about 4000 GPa, on the surface itself 67 degrees and 10 BAR.

There is a family of 67 moons near Jupiter. Galileo Galilei discovered 4 of the largest ones in the distant past. This:

  • Io (active volcanoes);
  • Europa (subsurface ocean);
  • Ganymede (the largest moon);
  • Callisto (underground ocean).

Auroras are observed near the north and south poles.

The largest planet in the solar system: top 8 planets

  • Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. But it is closest to the Sun. There is no change of season on this planet, because the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the rotation of the Sun. It is somewhat similar to the moon, the surface is rocky, covered with craters, such as on the Moon. Like the Moon, Mercury has no atmosphere. This planet occupies 8th place;
  • Mars – unlike Mercury, Mars is located in 4th place from the Sun. It is also rocky like Mercury. Earthly spacecraft have visited this planet many times. By the way, Mars rovers are currently working there. The average temperature on Mars is -153 degrees. This planet occupies 7th place;
  • Venus is also called “sister of the Earth”. It is closer to the Sun than the Earth, but this is not very important. The average temperature is +470 degrees. Used instead of oxygen carbon dioxide. This planet occupies 6th place;
  • Earth is located 3rd from the Sun. The only planet where life is in full swing. 70% of the planet is covered in water. This planet occupies 5th place;
  • Neptune is the most distant of all the major planets. Neptune is 17 times heavier than Earth and has a larger diameter. In 1846, astronomers identified this planet, and then looked at it through a telescope. This planet occupies 4th place;
  • Uranus is the 3rd planet of all the major ones. The average temperature is -220 degrees. It is named after an ancient Greek god, not a Roman one like most others. There are 27 satellites in its orbit. This planet occupies 3rd place;
  • Saturn - this planet is also one of the largest. Saturn has the most a large number of satellites, about 62. This planet ranks 2nd;
  • Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Gas giant. The average temperature is about -140 degrees. Jupiter has many satellites that can be seen with any binoculars, the most popular being Europa, Io, Ganymede and Callisto.

A planet is a cosmic object that revolves around the Sun and forms the Solar System with the other planets. The term "planet" comes from Greek word"wanderer". Before the creation of telescopes, planets, like stars, were viewed as objects moving across the sky. Technological advances have helped scientists greatly increase their knowledge of the planets, thanks to spacecraft as well as improved observations from Earth. Our solar system contains eight known planets, although there were originally nine after Pluto was discovered in the 1930s. However, in 2006, astronomers adopted an official definition of the term “planet” that Pluto did not meet and was downgraded to dwarf planet status.

Largest planets in the solar system:

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest among all the eight planets orbiting the Sun. Its radius is 69,911 km. Jupiter is so gigantic that the other seven planets could fit inside it. This is the fifth planet from the Sun, named after the king of the Roman gods. The planet's atmosphere consists of gases, mainly hydrogen and helium. The surface of Jupiter is an ocean of liquid hydrogen.

Jupiter has white, yellow, thick red and brown clouds. These clouds are moving on high speeds in the opposite direction when the planet rotates on its axis. The famous vortex - the Great Red Spot, moves parallel to the plane of the planet's equator with high speed, and is larger than the Earth.

Jupiter has the strongest magnetosphere of any planet, almost 20,000 times stronger than Earth's. The planet rotates around its axis in just 10 hours. Jupiter has three faint rings made up of dust particles that are the remains of comets and asteroids. The planet completely completes its orbit around the Sun once every 11.86 Earth years.

Saturn

The planet Saturn has a radius of 58,282 (excluding rings) km and is the second largest among the planets of the Solar System. It is the sixth planet and is easily visible to the naked eye from Earth. The discovery of Saturn is not credited to any one person. It was named after the ancient Roman god Saturn. The planet rotates around its axis in 10 hours and 34 minutes, and around the Sun in 29.4 Earth years. Saturn's atmosphere has three layers: the first layer consists mostly of ammonia ice, the second includes water ice, and a mixture of hydrogen and sulfur makes up most of the third layer.

Saturn is predominantly composed of hydrogen. It has thin and wide rings formed from ice particles and small particles of carbonaceous dust. These particles are believed to be remnants of asteroids, moons and comets destroyed near Saturn. The planet is located 1,424,600,000 km from the Sun. Saturn has 62 known moons and is the most oblate planet in the solar system, mainly due to its low density and fast speed rotation.

Uranus

The discovery of the existence of the planet Uranus is attributed to the British astronomer William Herschel. This was an unprecedented discovery made on March 13, 1781. Uranus is in seventh position relative to distance from the Sun, preceding Neptune, and is also third in size with an average radius of 25,362 km. The name of the planet comes from the name of the ancient Greek deity of the sky - Ouranos. It takes Uranus 17 hours and 14 minutes to completely rotate around its axis, and about 84 Earth years to complete its orbit around the Sun. Uranus and Venus are the only planets of the eight known to move clockwise as they orbit the Sun. 80% of the planet consists of ice. Uranus has a pale blue color due to the presence of water, ammonia and methane ice in its outer atmosphere. Under upper atmosphere There is a layer of hydrogen and helium. The planet contains a core of iron and magnesium silicate.

Neptune

Of all the known planets, Neptune is the most distant from the Sun. It was discovered on September 23, 1846 by Johann Gall. The discovery was facilitated by preliminary information from the French astronomer Urban Le Verrier and another independent British astronomer, John Cooch Adams. Neptune makes a complete revolution around the Sun once every 164.79 Earth years, has 14 satellites and five faint rings.

Neptune is a gas planet composed primarily of hydrogen, helium and methane. Methane in the atmosphere absorbs red light in significant quantities, so Neptune has Blue colour. The name of the planet comes from Roman mythology, where Neptune was the god of the seas. The core is mainly composed of rock. The planet is in turmoil massive storm called the Great Dark Spot. The climate on Neptune is very active with strong storms and winds swirling around the planet at high speeds. Only one spaceship Called Voyager 2, it approached Neptune in 1989.

Other planets and Pluto

The others in size are in the following order: Earth with a radius of 6,371 km, Venus with a radius of 6,052 km, Mars with a radius of 3,390 km and Mercury with a radius of 2,440 km. It is noteworthy that the list does not include Pluto, which recently ceased to be considered the ninth planet. A new definition of the term "planet" adopted by astronomers in 2006 led to the reclassification of Pluto into the group of dwarf planets.

Table ranking the sizes of planets in the solar system in decreasing order

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