Question 1

What is the solar system?

Accepted Answer

The solar system is like a big family of planets, moons, and other objects that all travel around our sun. The sun is in the center, and everything moves around it.

Question 2

How many planets are in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

There are eight planets in our solar system. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 3

Why is the sun important?

Accepted Answer

The sun is important because it gives us light and heat, making life possible on Earth. It also helps keep all the planets in the solar system in their orbits.

Question 4

Which is the biggest planet in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. It’s so large that over 1,300 Earths could fit inside of it!

Question 5

Which planet is closest to the sun?

Accepted Answer

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. Because of this, it's very hot, but it can also get very cold at night because it has no atmosphere to hold the heat.

Question 6

What is an orbit?

Accepted Answer

An orbit is the path that planets and other objects take to travel around the sun. It’s like running around in a circular track.

Question 7

Do all planets have moons?

Accepted Answer

No, not all planets have moons. Mercury and Venus do not have any moons, but other planets like Jupiter and Saturn have many.

Question 8

What are asteroids?

Accepted Answer

Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the sun. They are much smaller than planets and most are found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 9

What are comets?

Accepted Answer

Comets are icy, rocky objects that also orbit the sun. When they get close to the sun, they develop a bright tail that we can see in the sky.

Question 10

Why does Earth have day and night?

Accepted Answer

Earth has day and night because it spins around on its axis. When one side of Earth faces the sun, it's day, and when it turns away, it's night.

Question 11

Why is Pluto not considered a planet anymore?

Accepted Answer

Pluto is not considered a planet because it’s much smaller than the other planets, and it doesn’t clear its orbit of other objects. It's now called a dwarf planet.

Question 12

What is the moon?

Accepted Answer

The moon is Earth’s closest neighbor in space. It’s a rock that orbits around Earth, and it looks bright at night because it reflects light from the sun.

Question 13

Which planet is known as the 'Red Planet'?

Accepted Answer

Mars is known as the 'Red Planet' because of its reddish color. This color comes from iron oxide, similar to rust, that covers its surface.

Question 14

What are rings around some planets made of?

Accepted Answer

The rings around some planets, like Saturn, are made of ice, dust, and rocks. They are very thin but can be very wide.

Question 15

What is a galaxy?

Accepted Answer

A galaxy is a huge collection of stars, planets, and other things all held together by gravity. Our solar system is part of a galaxy called the Milky Way.

Question 16

Can humans live on other planets?

Accepted Answer

Right now, humans can only live on Earth because it's the only planet with air we can breathe and water to drink. Scientists are studying other planets to see if humans could live there someday.

Question 17

What does gravity do in the solar system?

Accepted Answer

Gravity is a force that pulls objects toward each other. It keeps the planets in orbit around the sun and makes sure we stay on the ground on Earth.

Question 18

How long does it take Earth to go around the sun?

Accepted Answer

It takes Earth about 365 days, or one year, to make a full trip around the sun. This trip is what gives us the different seasons.

Question 19

What is the Milky Way?

Accepted Answer

The Milky Way is the galaxy where our solar system lives. It's made up of billions of stars and looks like a milky band of light in the sky.

Question 20

Why do stars twinkle at night?

Accepted Answer

Stars twinkle because their light travels through Earth's atmosphere, which is full of moving air. This movement makes the starlight bend and change, causing it to look like it’s twinkling.

The Solar System: An Overview - 20 FAQs Explained Simply