Stars, comets, asteroids and meteorites have attracted the attention of people since the beginning of time. Priests prayed to heavenly idols, astrologers predicted fate along the trajectory of the planets, astronomers studied the constellations.

The ancient Romans and Greeks paid special respect to Jupiter. AT Ancient Rome he personified the supreme God, and among the Greeks he was considered the king of Olympus. A worthy place, considering that Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system.

gas giant

At the center of our star system is the brightest star - the Sun, around which Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury, Mars, Earth, Venus and Jupiter revolve. All planets are very interesting, and each has its own distinctive characteristics. The largest of them is Jupiter.

It has a number of unusual features:

• entirely made up of gas. Almost 90% is hydrogen, about 10% is helium, the rest is an insignificant part - methane, sulfur, ammonia and water vapor;
• colossal pressure was recorded in the lower layers of the atmosphere, due to which the gas passes into a liquid state, and the core of Jupiter is metallic hydrogen;
• it weighs 2.5 times more than all the other planets of the solar system combined, 318 times heavier than the Earth;
• its diameter is 1.39 thousand km! This means that 1,300 planets like our own Earth can easily fit in Jupiter. Such a huge scale is even difficult to imagine;
• the strength of the magnetic field of this celestial body exceeds the strength of the earth by 20 thousand times and is the largest in the solar system. This causes as yet insurmountable difficulties for a careful study of the planet, since no aircraft can get close enough;
• its rotation rate is the highest of any known planet in the galaxy. The length of a day on Jupiter is less than 10 Earth hours. This, combined with the incredible size and gaseous state, leads to the flattening of the celestial body;
• temperature in the lower layer of the troposphere - minus 150°С, and in the upper layers of the atmosphere - plus 730°С;
• the gas giant is known for its endless storms of terrible force. Whirlwinds are rushing at a breakneck speed of 640 km/h! But the most amazing hurricane has been observed by astronomers since the end of the 17th century. It was called the Great Red Spot, has not been interrupted for more than 300 years, and is 3 times larger than the earth's diameter;
• Jupiter is many millions of kilometers away from the Earth, but due to its impressive size, it is visible to the naked eye. With a medium-power telescope, you can see the surface of the giant, the Great Red Spot, rings and satellites.

Jupiter is not only the largest planet in the solar system, but also one of the largest planets in the universe known to scientists today.

The most...

Jupiter is an exclusive of its kind. It is the largest planet in the solar system and has the strongest magnetic field. Jupiter is the fastest rotating planet, with the sharpest temperature difference - almost 900 ° C.

It is difficult to find such a celestial body not only in the Galaxy, but throughout the entire infinite space.

Moons and rings of Jupiter

A total of 67 moons of Jupiter have been discovered. The first 4 - Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede - were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. In his honor they are named Galileevs. They are also the largest.

Ganymede is larger than all known satellites, even larger than such planets as Mercury and Pluto. Io is the only satellite in the Universe that has its own magnetic field, and it is also the most volcanically active celestial body known. The entire surface of Europa's moon is covered in ice. Callisto has an incredibly low reflective effect, which gives scientists reason to consider it a huge piece of colorless stone.

Also in 1979, the Voyager spacecraft discovered 3 faint rings around Jupiter.

Jupiter, along with its satellites, is very similar to the solar system in miniature. Therefore, most scientists in the world agree that in millions of years Jupiter will be able to be reborn into a Star and become the center of another system in the Universe. Satellites around the planet can turn into celestial bodies with habitable conditions.

Other giants of the solar system

In addition to Jupiter, our system has 3 more large planets:

• Saturn. Its diameter is slightly inferior to Jupiter and is 116 thousand km. It is 95 times heavier than the Earth, is in a gaseous state, the speed of storms on its surface is 1800 km/h. Has 62 satellites.
• Uranus has a diameter of 50.7 thousand km, it is relatively "light" - only 14 times heavier than the Earth, gaseous, winds rush along its surface at a frantic speed - 900 km / h, a year on Uranus is equal to 84 Earth years, has 27 satellites.
• Neptune is another large planet with a diameter of 49.2 thousand km. It also consists of gases, 17 times heavier than the Earth. The wind speed here reaches 2100 km/h and is the most significant in the Universe. Has 14 satellites.

All the largest planets in the solar system, except for their huge sizes, have such common features:

• gaseous state (the main components are hydrogen and helium);
• low density;
• very high rotation speed, which leads to some oblateness of the planets from the poles;
• powerful gravitational field;
• a large number of satellites.

Queen of the Universe

Many are interested in which planet is the largest in all the vast space. In 2006, scientists at the Lovell Observatory in the United States, Arizona, received an answer to this question. They discovered a giant planet in the Hercules system. There are not enough epithets in modern Russian to describe its size. It's impossible to imagine. She is a huge giantess, against her background, even Jupiter seems like a baby. They called it laconic and completely unromantic - TrES-4.

Although the diameter of the newly discovered planet is several times larger than the giant Jupiter, it is inferior to it in weight, which is explained by the very low density of the gaseous substance from which the giantess is "built". You cannot descend to the planet, you can only plunge into it in the literal sense. Scientists around the world are at a loss as to how TrES-4 can even exist at such a density without being sprayed into interstellar space.

The giant gas ball is hot up to 1300°C and is very similar to the Sun. For some time it was even considered a star, but then it was nevertheless proved that TrES-4 is a planet. It orbits its star, GSC02620-00648, 1400 light-years away.

The above facts testify that the endless expanses of the cosmos keep their secrets in silence. Exploring the vacuum of space, scientists are faced with inexplicable and mysterious phenomena, most questions remain unanswered.

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

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

Planet	Diameter	Weight	Orbital radius, a. e.	Orbital period, Earth years	Day	Density, kg/m³	satellites
	0.382	0.055	0.38	0.241	58.6	5427	0
	0.949	0.815	0.72	0.615	243	5243	0
Earth	1	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 he was one of the full-fledged planets, he was far from the largest of them, since his mass is equal to 1/6 of the mass of the moon. Pluto has a diameter of 2370 km and is made up 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 of almost twenty times less than the mass of the Earth, and a diameter of 2 ½ less than the Earth. In fact, Mercury is closer in size to the Moon than to the Earth, and today is considered the smallest of the planets in the solar system. Mercury has a rocky surface dotted with craters. The Messenger spacecraft recently confirmed that deep craters on the perpetually shadowed side of Mercury contain icy water.

7. Mars ∼ 6,792 km

Mars 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 too big planet of the solar system, the fourth closest to the Sun, has an axial tilt of 25.1 degrees. Due to this, the seasons change on it, as 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, while in the northern hemisphere there are no such sharp contrasts, where both summer and winter are mild. We can say 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 a celestial body named after the goddess of beauty. It is so close to the Sun that it appears first in the evening and 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, which is almost comparable to the size of the Earth (1000 km less), and 80% of the mass of the Earth.

The surface of Venus mainly consists of large plains of volcanic origin, the rest - 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 is kept at 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 axial 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 of this time it is accompanied by a natural satellite - the Moon. It is believed that the moon was formed when a celestial body big size, namely Mars, impacted the Earth, causing the ejection of enough material that the Moon could form. The Moon has had a stabilizing effect on the tilt of the Earth's axis and is the source of the ebb and flow of the oceans.

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

4. Neptune ∼ 49,000 km

The gas giant planet of the solar system is the eighth celestial body closest to the Sun. The diameter of Neptune is 49,000 km, and the mass is 17 times greater than the earth. It has powerful cloud bands (they, along with storms and cyclones, were photographed by Voyager 2). The wind speed on Neptune reaches 600 m / s. Due to its great distance from the Sun, the planet is one of the coldest, with temperatures reaching minus 220 degrees Celsius in the upper atmosphere.

3. Uranus ∼ 50,000 km

On the third line of the list of the largest planets in 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 the Earth's, and its mass is 14 times the mass of our planet.

Uranus has 27 known moons ranging in size from over 1500 km to less than 20 km in diameter. The planet's moons are made of ice rocks and other micronutrients. Uranus itself has a rocky core, surrounded by a cover 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 of the largest planets in the solar system is known for its ring system. She was first seen by Galileo Galilei in 1610. Galileo believed that Saturn is accompanied by two other planets that are 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 are 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 the Earth (57,000 km) and a mass 95 times that of the Earth.

1. Jupiter ∼ 142,974 km

Number one is the winner of the planetary heavy hit parade, Jupiter is 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 turn every 10 hours. At its equator, there is a rather 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). The four largest moons, discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei, are named after the favorites of Zeus, the Greek counterpart of Jupiter.

What is known about Jupiter

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

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

It is the fifth planet from the Sun. It is named after a 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. Jupiter's surface is made up of an ocean of liquid hydrogen.

Jupiter has the strongest magnetosphere of all the other planets, 20,000 times stronger than Earth's magnetosphere.

The largest planet in the solar system rotates around its axis faster than all the "neighbors". One complete revolution takes just under 10 hours (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 spikes that occur when Io, the closest of Jupiter's large moons, 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 been raging for over 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 much brighter.

There are many other spots on Jupiter, but only in the Southern Hemisphere do they exist for some reason 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 (NASA spacecraft) in 1979, but their origin was a mystery. Data from the Galileo spacecraft that orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003 later confirmed that these rings were created by meteoroid impacts on small nearby moons of the largest planet.

Jupiter's ring system includes:

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

The main ring is flattened, about 30 km thick and 6,400 km wide. 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 spider ring due to its transparency.

Meteorites that strike 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 14 more 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 it was in 1610. They are named after those close to Zeus (the Roman counterpart of which 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 satellites 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 a 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!

The solar system is one of the most complex and incredibly interesting structures to study, both by specialists in this field and simply by lovers of the space theme. It is only a small part of the whole galaxy. It is striking not only the history of the appearance of space objects, but also their dimensions. What is the name of the largest planet in the solar system - not the Sun, it exceeds the size of the Earth by 300 times, and its diameter is 11 times larger than the earth's.

What is a planet

Before talking about which planet is the largest, it is worth understanding the concept of this object. A planet is a massive celestial body orbiting around a star. The heart of the solar system is the Sun, formed about 4.57 billion years ago by the gravitational compression of a cloud of gas and dust. This bright star is the main source of light and heat, both on Earth and other planets.

How many planets are in the solar system

The system is divided into internal and external groups. The closest to the Sun are the inner planets and small, compared to the stars, asteroids. The closest location is Mercury. It is the fastest moving celestial body in the system. Mars is famous for its red surface. The temperature of Venus reaches 400 degrees, which makes it one of the hottest. And the planet with the confirmed presence of life is the Earth, which has a natural satellite - the Moon.

Large planets of the solar system

The outer zone consists of larger planets. Among its heavy giants: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter. They are located at a greater distance from the Sun than the inner group, due to which they have a colder climate and are distinguished by icy winds. The planets Uranus and Neptune are classified by astronomers as Ice Giants. All stars in the outer region have their own ring system.

Saturn

Saturn has the most extensive system of rings and belts. Their main constituents are ice particles, heavy elements and dust. The planet itself is made up of hydrogen with helium, water, methane, ammonia and other elements. The wind speed on Saturn reaches 1800 kilometers per hour, which can cause eddies. The research station is engaged in the study of the planet, the task of which is to analyze the structure of the rings. Saturn has 62 moons, the most famous of which is Titan.

Uranus

The coldest giant is Uranus. His low temperature related to the distance from the Sun. The surface of Uranus is mainly covered with ice and rocks, and the structure of the atmosphere includes hydrogen and helium. Clouds of solid ammonia, hydrogen and ice have also been detected. This planet differs in the axis of rotation, with a characteristic position “on its side”. It turns to the Sun either by the north or south pole, the equator and middle latitudes. This object has signs of seasonal changes in the form of increased weather activity. Uranus has 27 moons.

Neptune

big size possessed by Neptune, and is the fourth largest planet in diameter. In its atmosphere, the strongest winds rage, which can reach 2100 kilometers per hour, and the temperature is close to 220 degrees with a minus sign. In addition, traces of methane are observed in its atmosphere, giving blue tint. In 1989, the Voyager 2 expedition discovered a large dark spot in the planet's southern hemisphere. Neptune has 13 moons, including Triton. It was opened in the 20th century. Other celestial bodies were discovered later.

Jupiter

When asked which planet has the largest mass, we can safely say - Jupiter. The largest planet in the solar system has an upper layer made up of hydrogen, methane, ammonia and water. A number of phenomena have been recorded in Jupiter's atmosphere, including storms, lightning and auroras. Whirlwinds on the planet rush at an incredible speed - up to 640 kilometers per hour. As a result of a major storm, a large red spot formed on the surface of Jupiter, which became one of the main features of the giant. And because of the huge size of the planet, its parts rotate at different speeds.

What is the largest planet

Since 1970, 8 spacecraft have been studying the largest and heaviest planet Jupiter: "National Aeronautics and Research Administration outer space”, “Voyagers”, “Pioneers”, “Galileo” and others. This giant has a heavy mass, exceeding the earth's by 300 times. The largest planet in the solar system has the largest number of satellites - 69. Among them are the large Galileans - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. They were discovered by the famous Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610.

Statistical data

Below are the main characteristics that the largest planet in the solar system has:

• weight: 1.8981 x 1027 kilograms;
• volume - 1.43128 × 1015 cubic kilometers;
• surface area - 6.1419 x 1010 square kilometers;
• average circumference - 4.39264 x 105 kilometers;
• density 1.326 grams per cubic centimeter;
• conditional orbital speed - 13.07 kilometers per second;
• inclination relative to the plane of the ecliptic - 1.03 degrees;
• apparent magnitude - 2.94 meters;
• surface pressure - 1 bar.

Is life possible on Jupiter?

Jupiter is a gas giant, where there is practically no water necessary for the formation of life processes. In addition, it does not have a hard surface, which allows the development of organisms other than microscopic masses. And because of the low temperature, reaching up to 175 degrees with a minus sign, organisms can freeze. The only space on the planet suitable for the development of life are the tops of the clouds, resistant to solar radiation. Free floating organisms can be designated here.

Video

- Jupiter. More Ancient Greece scientists managed to find out that this celestial body is the largest in the solar system. It was believed that Jupiter is the god of the sky, that is, the father of all gods. The planet was worshipped. The radius of this planet is 11 times greater than that of the Earth. The approximate mass of Jupiter is 1.8986*1027 kg. Therefore, it is 318 times heavier than our planet. hallmark there is also a hurricane-anticyclone that has been orbiting a celestial body for more than 350 years.

Planets in the solar system ranked by size

142.8 thousand km

The largest planet in the solar system- Jupiter. Even in ancient Greece, scientists managed to find out that this celestial body is the largest in the solar system. It was believed that Jupiter is the god of the sky, that is, the father of all gods. The planet was worshipped. The radius of this planet is 11 times greater than that of the Earth. The approximate mass of Jupiter is 1.8986*1027 kg. Therefore, it is 318 times heavier than our planet. A distinctive feature is also a hurricane-anticyclone, which has been orbiting a celestial body for more than 350 years.

120.6 thousand km

At a distance of 1.4 billion kilometers from the Sun is the second largest planet called Saturn. In diameter, the size of a celestial body is 120,600 kilometers. The radius of Saturn is 58,232 kilometers. It is known that the length of the day on this planet is 10.7 hours. Therefore, one year is equal to 29 Earth years. This is how long it takes Saturn to make a complete revolution around the Sun. It should be added that the planet does not have a solid surface. It is a kind of gas giant, because the atmosphere consists of helium and hydrogen.

51.1 thousand km

Uranus closes the top three largest planets in the solar system. The radius is 25,362 kilometers. In diameter, the giant planet reaches 51,137 kilometers. This is about 4 times the diameter of the Earth. For all the time, only one satellite calledVoyager 2. For about 37 years, the device has been providing images. Thanks to these photos and research work astronomers, we know that a day on Uranus is 17 hours. The planet revolves around the Sun in 84 Earth years.

49.2 thousand km

It's about about the smallest celestial body in the solar system, which is the most distant from the Sun. The diameter of the planet is only 3.5 times the size of the Earth. It is worth noting that Neptune is an ice giant, because the rays practically do not reach it. It is covered with ice floes and a cold cyclone of winds, the speed of which is simply astonishing 600 m/s. At the same time, the planet is 17 times heavier than ours. The surface of Neptune is almost impossible to reach due to supersonic winds that sweep away everything in its path. Therefore, the planet is less studied than the rest.

12.7 thousand km

Ours is one of the largest planets in the solar system. The Earth is the third giant located from the Sun. At the same time, the celestial body is the only one where life has been found. Of course, the presence of life forms is due to a favorable location. Closer to Venus, the water turns into steam, because it is very hot. A little further there are strong winds and frosts. Close to 70% of the entire planet is covered by oceans. It is the atmosphere of the earth that protects us from meteorites that burn up in it. Well, one more fact: the moon is in the same conditions as the Earth, only there is no life on it.

12.1 thousand km

Often this planet is called the sister of the Earth, due to the similarity in size. In addition, celestial bodies have similar features in terms of internal structure. However, Venus is closer to the sun, and it is inferior in diameter to our planet. Despite the similarity, Venus is not suitable for human life, because instead of oxygen, carbon dioxide is here. There are many poisonous clouds of chlorine and sulfur. The temperature is 475 degrees above zero. Also an important factor is the pressure of 92 atmospheres.

Space holds many mysteries. With the naked eye, we can see only a negligible 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 than our home planet. What are the largest planets in the solar system?

Diameter: 2,326 km

Opens the list of the largest planets in the solar system. It is the second largest space object after Pluto and the farthest dwarf planet from the Sun. Eris was previously called Xena. For a time, it claimed the title of 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 thought that Eris was larger than Pluto, but recent studies made by the New Horizons spacecraft have proved 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, he was among the nine planets of the solar system. In 2006, after a long debate, by decision of the International Astronomical Union, he was deprived of the status of an ordinary planet. Now Pluto is considered the largest dwarf planet. It is one of the largest Kuiper Belt objects. Consisting of ice and rocks, 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 Nyx.

In 2006, the automatic space station "New Horizons" was launched, the purpose of which is to study Pluto and Charon. The device safely reached the orbit of the planet and transmitted to Earth the collected data and photographs of Pluto and all its satellites.

Diameter: 2,372 km.

Diameter: 4879 km

Takes 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 duration of a day on Mercury is 176 Earth days, and all because of the slow rotation of the planet around its axis.

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 various sizes. The planet has no satellites.

Diameter: 4879 km.

Diameter: 6780 km

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

Moons 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 more poetic names: the 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 the earth. The atmosphere on the planet is mainly composed of carbon dioxide, and its surface is hidden by huge clouds of sulfuric acid. It is assumed that there is still active volcanic activity on Venus. The surface temperature is 460 °C.

Diameter: 12103 km.

Diameter: 12742 km

On the 5th place in 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 intelligent life has appeared. Most of the planet (about 70%) is covered with water. Due to its location and a slight inclination of the axis of rotation on the planet, optimal conditions were created for the origin of life.

The Earth has one satellite - the Moon.

Diameter: 12742 km.

Diameter: 49224 km

One of the largest and farthest planets in the solar system from the Sun. This is a huge gas giant, whose mass is 17 times greater than the earth. The planet's atmosphere is made up of helium and hydrogen. At the same time, the core of Neptune is solid, formed from rocks and ice. The planet is interesting in that incredible winds constantly rage on its surface, the speed of which can reach 2100 km / h. Invisible to the naked eye, Neptune was discovered through mathematical calculations.

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

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

Diameter: 49224 km.

Diameter: 50724 km

The gas giant is 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 satellites ranging in size from 20 to 1500 km.

Diameter: 50724 km.

Diameter: 116464 km

The second place in the list of the largest planets in the solar system is occupied. Like Uranus with Neptune, it consists of a mixture of various gases, passing at depth into a liquid state. The mass of this gas giant is 95 times the mass of the Earth. Saturn is famous primarily for its rings and a 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 explored 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 in 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 the mass of all other planets in the solar system. Great 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.