Question 1

What is the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

The Solar System is a big family of planets, moons, and other space things. They all travel around our star, the Sun.

Question 2

How many planets are in the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

There are eight main planets in our Solar System. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 3

What 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 it!

Question 4

Which planet is closest to the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. It's also the smallest planet in our Solar System.

Question 5

Why is Earth special in the Solar System?

Accepted Answer

Earth is special because it's the only planet we know that has life. It has water, air, and everything needed for plants, animals, and people.

Question 6

What are moons?

Accepted Answer

Moons are rocky or icy bodies that orbit planets. Earth has one moon, but other planets can have many moons.

Question 7

How many moons does Jupiter have?

Accepted Answer

Jupiter has 79 known moons! The biggest of them are called the Galilean moons because Galileo discovered them.

Question 8

What is the Sun?

Accepted Answer

The Sun is a big, hot star at the center of our Solar System. It gives us light and heat, which makes life possible on Earth.

Question 9

Why do planets orbit the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Planets orbit the Sun because of gravity. The Sun's strong gravity pulls them, keeping them on their path around it.

Question 10

What is an asteroid?

Accepted Answer

Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. Most of them are found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Question 11

What is a comet?

Accepted Answer

Comets are icy objects that travel around the Sun. When they get close to the Sun, they create a bright tail that we can see from Earth.

Question 12

What is Pluto if it's not a planet?

Accepted Answer

Pluto is a dwarf planet. It's smaller than the main planets and doesn't clear the space around its path like the big planets do.

Question 13

How long does it take for Earth to orbit the Sun?

Accepted Answer

It takes Earth one year to orbit around the Sun. That's about 365 days, which is why a year on the calendar has 365 days!

Question 14

What are rings around planets made of?

Accepted Answer

Rings are made of ice, dust, and small rocks. Saturn is famous for its beautiful rings, but other planets like Jupiter and Neptune also have rings.

Question 15

Can you name the planets in order from the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The order is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Just remember the sentence: 'My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Noodles' to help.

Question 16

Why is Mars called the Red Planet?

Accepted Answer

Mars is called the Red Planet because it looks red from afar. The red color comes from rusty iron in its soil.

Question 17

What is a space probe?

Accepted Answer

A space probe is a spacecraft that travels far to explore space. It can send back pictures and information so scientists can learn about our Solar System.

Question 18

What's the difference between a planet and a star?

Accepted Answer

A planet is a big, round body that orbits a star, like our Sun. A star is a giant ball of burning gas that gives off light and heat.

Question 19

Why do we only see one side of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

We see only one side of the Moon because it takes the same time to spin on its axis as it does to orbit Earth. This keeps the same side facing us always.

Question 20

What is the Milky Way?

Accepted Answer

The Milky Way is the galaxy where our Solar System lives. It's a huge space neighborhood with lots of stars, planets, and even more solar systems.

The Solar System: An Overview of Planets, Moons, and the Universe - 20 FAQs Explained Simply