Solar System Answers

What is a solar system?

Can you think of three different types of objects this might include? Planets, Moons, Asteroids, Dwarf Planets, Comets

Our solar system

• Which planet is the largest? Jupiter
• Which planet is the smallest? Mercury
• Which two planets have rings? Saturn and Uranus
• Which planet do you think will be the hottest? Mercury is closest to the sun so should be the hottest
• Which planet do you think will be the coldest? Neptune is farthest from the sun so should be the coldest
• Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet? It is too small to be classed as a planet (smaller than the Moon). It is now recognised as a Dwarf Planet.

Naming planets

Mercury was the Roman God of shopkeepers, merchants, travellers, transporters, thieves and tricksters.
Venus was the Roman Goddess of love, beauty and fertility.
Mars was the Roman God of war
Jupiter was the Roman God of the sky and thunder. He was also the head of the Gods.
Saturn was the Roman God of agriculture, wealth and freedom
Uranus was the Greek God of the sky, heavens and universe
Neptune was the Roman God of the sea and freshwater