Planets by Sophie

The sun is the centre of the solar system. The planets move around the sun in different ways. The planets orbit around the sun because the sun’s gravity is so strong it can pull all the planets to go around it.

There are eight planets in the solar system three of them have been made into descriptions.

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, and is the smallest in the solar system. Its surface is covered with craters that have holes, asteroids made those holes. It is 2,440km wide and has got no moons. Mercury can reach up to 840 degrees in the day and -200 degrees at night. 

 

Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system and is the 6^th planet from the sun. It is a gas giant and has rings made out of millions of ice crystals that can be as big as a house. It has sixty three known moons and the biggest is named Titan. Saturn is not a peace full planet it has got lots of wind storms.

 

Mars is the 2nd smallest planet in the solar system and is the 4^th from the sun. It has got 2 moons named Phobos and Deimos. Mars takes 686.98 days to orbit the sun. Its gravity is very weak and has got huge Volcanoes. Mars is a rusty red planet and was a roman god of war.