Science & space · F–2
The solar system
Our solar system contains the Sun and everything held by its gravity. The eight planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Quick review
Key points to remember
- The Sun is a star at the centre of our solar system.
- Eight planets orbit the Sun.
- Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
- The inner planets are rocky and the outer planets are giants.
Useful words
Topic vocabulary
- Star
- A huge ball of hot gas that produces light and heat.
- Planet
- A large, nearly round object that orbits a star.
- Orbit
- The curved path one object follows around another.
- Moon
- A natural object that orbits a planet or dwarf planet.