Fun Solar System Facts for Kids

The Solar System is a system of a Sun and the objects that move around it. It is the collection of all celestial bodies that are held together by the Sun’s gravitational pull. Our solar system consists of our star, the Sun and everything bound to it by gravity – the planets like the Earth, asteroids, meteors, comets and many more. Here are some amazing facts about the solar system for kids.

1. Formation of the Solar System:

The Solar System was formed 4.6 billion years ago from a cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. 

2. The Milky Way: 

The solar system is part of the Milky Way. There are at least between 250 to 500 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy – there might even be more. 

 3. Distance from the Sun to the Earth:

The Sun is 93 million miles from the Earth. Even though it’s so far away the light from the Sun only takes 8 minutes to travel to the Earth.

4. Planets have different Temperatures:  

Planets in our Solar System are different temperatures. The hottest planet is Venus with an average temperature of 460°C and the coldest planet is Uranus with an average temperature -220°C. By comparison Earth’s average temperature is 15°C.

5. Moons in the Solar System:

There are 181 moons in our solar system.173 moons orbits the full-sized planets. 8 moons orbits smaller planets or dwarf planets.

6. Venus from Earth:

You can see some of The Solar System from Earth. For example we have all seen the sun and our moon. You can also sometimes see Venus, which is also known as the evening or morning star.

7. Grand Canyon on Mars:

 Mars is home to a truly “grand” canyon the size of the United States.

8. Mercury with no Atmosphere:

Mercury has no atmosphere to protect it from the sun’s relentless radiation, and surface temperatures can reach highs of 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius) during the day and plummet as low as minus 290 F (minus 179 C) at night.

9. Blue Planet:

The Earth is blue, it has been blue for over 4 billion years because of the liquid water on its surface. 

10. Largest Volcano in Space:

Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, is home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons

11. Earth has a unique chemical composition:

The majority of elements found on other planets are helium and hydrogen. On the contrary, 90% of Earth is made up of iron, oxygen, silicon and magnesium.

12. Great Red Spot:

Jupiter has an area known as the Great Red Spot where a giant hurricane-like storm has been raging nonstop for 300 years. This storm has fierce winds of around 270 miles per hour. The stormy Great Red Spot is over twice the size of Earth.

13. How much Taller do you Grow in Space?

Astronauts in space can grow up to 3 percent taller during the time spent living in microgravity.

 14. Space Junk:

Around 34,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10 centimeters in size are floating in space.

15. How long does a Footprint stay on the Moon?

Every single footprint left on the moon will remain solidified in time for approximately 100 million years. There is no wind to blow them away.

 16. Asteroid Belt:

The main asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

17. Natural Satellite:

The Moon is the only natural satellite, or moon, that orbits Earth. It takes the Moon about 27 days to complete one orbit around Earth. It takes the same time, too, to rotate about its center. 

18. Cold Desert:

Mars is simply a cold desert. It is a rocky planet with complex terrain on its surface, such as mountains and volcanoes. It has a thin atmosphere, so temperatures on Mars change between highs and lows.

19. Twin Planets or Ice Giants:

Neptune is very similar to Uranus in terms of size, mass and composition. So, they are referred to as twin planets, or, sometimes, ice giants. 

20. Dwarf Planets:

Dwarf planets are objects in the solar system that are similar to the eight planets but smaller than them, and they orbit the Sun. There are five confirmed dwarf planets in the solar system, which are Pluto, Eris, Haumea, and Ceres.

21. Kuiper Belt:

The Kuiper Belt is a doughnut-shaped ring of icy objects around the Sun. Pluto is located beyond Neptune in an area called the Kuiper Belt.