Here are the top 10 questions about the Solar System, along with simple and informative answers:
1. What is the Solar System?
The Solar System is a group of celestial bodies that orbit the Sun, including 8 planets, their moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and more.
2. How many planets are in the Solar System?
There are 8 planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
3. Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 because it doesn’t meet all the criteria set by the International Astronomical Union for being a full-fledged planet.
4. Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.
5. Which planet is the largest in the Solar System?
Jupiter is the largest planet; it’s about 11 times the diameter of Earth.
6. What is the hottest planet in the Solar System?
Venus is the hottest due to its thick atmosphere that traps heat, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun.
7. How old is the Solar System?
The Solar System is about 4.6 billion years old.
8. What causes day and night on Earth?
Day and night occur because the Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours.
9. What are moons, and do all planets have them?
Moons are natural satellites that orbit planets. Not all planets have them—Mercury and Venus do not have any moons.
10. What is an asteroid belt?
It’s a region between Mars and Jupiter filled with rocky objects called asteroids.
