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What planets exist in the solar. solar system

The planets of the solar system are in order in the following sequence:
1 - Mercury. The smallest of the real planets in the solar system
2 - Venus. The description of hell was taken from her: terrible heat, sulfur evaporation and eruptions of many volcanoes.
3 - Earth. The third planet in order from the Sun, our home.
4 - Mars. The most distant of the planets of the terrestrial group of the solar system.
Then the Main Asteroid Belt is located, where the dwarf planet Ceres and the minor planets Vesta, Pallas, etc. are located.
Next in order are the four giant planets:
5 - Jupiter. The largest planet in the solar system.
6 - Saturn with its famous rings.
7 - Uranus. The coldest planet.
8 - Neptune. It is the furthest "real" planet in order from the Sun.
And here's what's interesting:
9 - Pluto. A dwarf planet that is usually listed after Neptune. But, Pluto's orbit is such that it is sometimes closer to the Sun than Neptune. For example, this was the case from 1979 to 1999.
No, Neptune and Pluto cannot collide :) - their orbits are such that they do not intersect.
The location of the planets of the solar system in order in the photo:

How many planets are in the solar system

How many planets are in the solar system? This is not so easy to answer. For a long time It was believed that there were nine planets in the solar system:
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

But, on August 24, 2006, Pluto ceased to be considered a planet. This was caused by the discovery of the planet Eris and other small planets of the solar system, in connection with which it was necessary to clarify - which celestial bodies can be considered as planets.
Several signs of "real" planets were identified and it turned out that Pluto does not fully satisfy them.
Therefore, Pluto was transferred to the category of dwarf planets, which include, for example, Ceres - the former asteroid No. 1 in the Main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

As a result, when trying to answer the question of how many planets are in the solar system, the situation is even more confused. Because in addition to the "real" now there are also dwarf planets.
But there are also small planets, which were called large asteroids. For example Vesta, asteroid number 2 in the mentioned Main asteroid belt.
V Lately the same Eris, Make-Make, Haumea and several other small planets of the solar system, data on which is insufficient and it is not clear what to consider them - dwarf or small planets. Not to mention that some small asteroids are mentioned in the literature as minor planets! For example, the asteroid Icarus, which is only about 1 kilometer in size, is often referred to as a minor planet...
Which of these bodies should be taken into account when answering the question "how many planets are there in the solar system"???
In general, "we wanted the best, but it turned out as always."

Curiously, many astronomers and even simple people act "in defense" of Pluto, continuing to consider it a planet, sometimes arrange small demonstrations and diligently promote this idea on the Web (mainly abroad).

Therefore, when answering the question "how many planets in the solar system" it's easiest to say "eight" briefly and not even try to discuss something ... otherwise it will immediately turn out that there is simply no exact answer :)

The giant planets are the largest planets in the solar system.

There are four giant planets in the solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Since these planets are located outside the main asteroid belt, they are called the "outer" planets of the solar system.
In size, two pairs clearly stand out among these giants.
The largest giant planet is Jupiter. Saturn is quite a bit inferior to him.
And Uranus and Neptune are sharply smaller than the first two planets and they are located farther from the Sun.
Look at the comparative sizes of the giant planets relative to the Sun:

The giant planets protect the inner planets of the solar system from asteroids.
Without these bodies in the solar system, our Earth would be hundreds of times more likely to be hit by asteroids and comets!
How do the giant planets protect us from the fall of intruders?

You can learn more about the largest planets in the solar system here:

terrestrial planets

The terrestrial planets are four planets in the solar system that are similar in size and composition: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Since one of them is the Earth, all these planets were assigned to the terrestrial group. Their sizes are very similar, and Venus and the Earth are generally almost the same. The temperatures are relatively high, which is explained by the proximity to the Sun. All four planets are formed by rocks, while the giant planets are gas and ice worlds.

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet in the solar system.
It is generally accepted that Mercury is very hot. Yes, it is, the temperature on the sunny side can reach +427°С. But, there is almost no atmosphere on Mercury, so on the night side it can be up to -170 ° С. And at the poles, because of the low Sun, a layer of underground permafrost is generally assumed ...

Venus. For a long time, it was considered the "sister" of the Earth, until Soviet research stations landed on its surface. It turned out to be a real hell! Temperature +475°C, pressure of almost a hundred atmospheres and an atmosphere of toxic compounds of sulfur and chlorine. To colonize it - you have to try very hard ...

Mars. The famous red planet. It is the most distant of the terrestrial planets in the solar system.
Like Earth, Mars has moons: Phobos and Deimos
Basically it is a cold, rocky and dry world. Only at the equator at noon can it get warmer up to +20°C, the rest of the time - a fierce frost, up to -153°C at the poles.
The planet does not have a magnetosphere and cosmic radiation irradiates the surface mercilessly.
The atmosphere is very rarefied and not suitable for breathing, however, its density is enough to occasionally cause powerful dust storms on Mars.
Despite all the shortcomings. Mars is the most promising planet for colonization in the solar system.

Read more about the terrestrial planets in the article The largest planets in the solar system

The largest planet in the solar system

The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter. This is the fifth planet from the Sun, its orbit is beyond the main asteroid belt. Look at the size comparison of Jupiter and Earth:
Jupiter is 11 times the diameter of Earth and 318 times its mass. Due to the large size of the planet, parts of its atmosphere rotate at different speeds, so Jupiter's belts are clearly visible in the image. Below, on the left, you can see Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot, a huge atmospheric vortex that has been observed for several centuries.

The smallest planet in the solar system

Which planet is the smallest planet in the solar system? This is not such a simple question...
Today it is generally accepted that the smallest planet in the solar system is Mercury, which we mentioned a little above. But, you already know that until August 24, 2006, Pluto was considered the smallest planet in the solar system.

More attentive readers may recall that Pluto is a dwarf planet. And there are five known. The smallest dwarf planet is Ceres, with a diameter of about 900 km.
But that's not all...

There are also so-called minor planets, the size of which starts at only 50 meters. Both the 1-kilometer Icarus and the 490-kilometer Pallas fall under this definition. It is clear that there are many of them, and it is difficult to choose the smallest one due to the complexity of observations and calculation of sizes. So, when answering the question "what is the name of the smallest planet in the solar system", it all depends on what exactly is meant by the word "planet".

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> Planets

Explore everything planets of the solar system in order and learn the names, new scientific facts and interesting features of the surrounding worlds with photos and videos.

There are 8 planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The first 4 belong to the inner solar system and are considered terrestrial planets. Jupiter and Saturn major planets Solar system and representatives gas giants(huge and filled with hydrogen and helium), and Uranus and Neptune are ice giants (large and represented by heavier elements).

Previously, Pluto was considered the ninth planet, but since 2006 it has moved into the category of dwarf planets. This dwarf planet was first discovered by Clyde Tomb. Now it is one of the largest objects in the Kuiper belt - a cluster of icy bodies on the outer edge of our system. Pluto lost its planetary status after the IAU (International Astronomical Union) revised the concept itself.

According to the decision of the IAU, a planet of the solar system is a body that performs an orbital passage around the Sun, endowed with sufficient mass to form in the form of a sphere and clear the area around it from foreign objects. Pluto could not meet the last requirement, and therefore became a dwarf planet. Other similar objects include Ceres, Makemake, Haumea, and Eridu.

With a small atmosphere, harsh surface features and 5 moons, Pluto is considered the most complex dwarf planet and one of the most amazing planets in our solar system.

But scientists do not lose hope of finding the mysterious Ninth Planet - after they announced a hypothetical object in 2016 that affects bodies from the Kuiper belt by gravity. In terms of parameters, it is 10 times the mass of the Earth and 5,000 times more massive than Pluto. Below is a list of the planets of the solar system with photos, names, descriptions, detailed characteristics and interesting facts for children and adults.

Variety of planets

Astrophysicist Sergey Popov about gas and ice giants, systems double stars and single planets:

Hot planetary coronas

Astronomer Valery Shematovich on the study of gas shells of planets, hot particles in the atmosphere and discoveries on Titan:

Diameter relative to Earth	Mass, relative to the Earth	Orbital radius, a. e.	Orbital period, Earth years	Day, relative to the earth	Density, kg/m³	satellites
0,382	0,06	0,38	0,241	58,6	5427	No
0,949	0,82	0,72	0,615	243	5243	No
1,0	1,0	1,0	1,0	1,0	5515	1
0,53	0,11	1,52	1,88	1,03	3933	2
0,074	0,000013	2,76	4,6	0,46	~2000	No
11,2	318	5,20	11,86	0,414	1326	67
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
0,098	0,0017	39,2	248,09	6,3	2203	5
0,032	0,00066	42,1	281,1	0,03	~1900	2
0,033	0,00065	45,2	306,28	1,9	~1700	No
0,1	0,0019	68,03	561,34	1,1	~2400	1

Terrestrial planets of the solar system

The first 4 planets from the Sun are called planets. earth type because their surface is rocky. Pluto is also solid surface layer(frozen), but it belongs to the dwarf-type planets.

Gas giant planets of the solar system

4 gas giants live in the outer solar system, as they are quite huge and gaseous. But Uranus and Neptune are different because they more ice. Therefore, they are also called ice giants. However, all gas giants have one thing in common: they are all made up of hydrogen and helium.

The IAU put forward the definition of a planet:

The object must revolve around the sun;
Have enough mass to take the shape of a ball;
Clear your orbital path from foreign objects;

Pluto could not meet the latter requirement, as it shares an orbital path with a huge number of bodies from the Kuiper belt. But not everyone agreed with the definition. However, dwarf planets such as Eris, Haumea and Makemake appeared on the scene.

Ceres also lives between Mars and Jupiter. She was noticed in 1801 and considered a planet. Some still consider it the 10th planet of the solar system.

Dwarf planets of the solar system

Education planetary systems

Astronomer Dmitry Wiebe about stone planets and giant planets, the diversity of planetary systems and hot Jupiters:

Solar system planets in order

Below are the characteristics of the 8 major planets of the solar system in order from the sun:

The first planet from the Sun is Mercury

Mercury is the first planet from the Sun. It rotates in an elliptical orbit with a distance of 46-70 million km from the Sun. It spends 88 days on one orbital span, and 59 days on an axial span. Due to the slow rotation, a day spans 176 days. The axial tilt is extremely small.

With a diameter of 4887 km, the first planet from the Sun reaches 5% of the earth's mass. Surface gravity - 1/3 of the earth. The planet is practically devoid of an atmospheric layer, so it is hot during the day and freezes at night. The temperature mark fluctuates between +430°C and -180°C.

There is a crater surface and an iron core. But the magnetic field is inferior to the earth. Initially, radars indicated the presence of water ice at the poles. The Messenger confirmed the assumptions and found deposits at the bottom of the craters, which are all the time immersed in shadow.

The first planet from the Sun is located close to the star, so it can be seen before dawn and just after sunset.

Name: the messenger of the gods in the Roman pantheon.
Diameter: 4878 km.
Orbit: 88 days.
Day length: 58.6 days.

Second planet from the Sun - Venus

Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Travels in an almost circular orbit at a distance of 108 million km. It comes closest to the Earth and can reduce the distance to 40 million km.

It spends 225 days on an orbital path, and an axial rotation (clockwise) lasts 243 days. A day covers 117 Earth days. The axial tilt is 3 degrees.

In diameter (12100 km), the second planet from the Sun almost converges with the earth and reaches 80% of the earth's mass. The gravity indicator is 90% of the earth. The planet has a dense atmospheric layer, where the pressure is 90 times higher than the earth's. The atmosphere is filled with carbon dioxide with thick sulfur clouds, which creates a powerful greenhouse effect. It is because of this that the surface warms up by 460 ° C (the hottest planet in the system).

The surface of the second planet from the Sun is hidden from direct observation, but scientists managed to create a map using radar. Sheltered by large volcanic plains with two huge continents, mountains and valleys. There are also impact craters. A weak magnetic field is observed.

Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
Name: Roman goddess responsible for love and beauty.
Diameter: 12104 km.
Orbit: 225 days.
Day length: 241 days.

Third planet from the Sun - Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun. It is the largest and densest of inner planets. The orbital path is 150 million km away from the Sun. It has a single companion and developed life.

The orbital flyby takes 365.25 days, and the axial rotation takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. The length of the day is 24 hours. The axial tilt is 23.4 degrees, and the diameter index is 12742 km.

The third planet from the Sun was formed 4.54 billion years ago and the Moon has been nearby for most of its existence. It is believed that the satellite appeared after a huge object crashed into the Earth and pulled material into orbit. It was the Moon that stabilized the earth's axial tilt and acts as a source of tide formation.

The satellite in diameter covers 3747 km (27% of the Earth's) and is located at a distance of 362000-405000 km. Experiencing a planetary gravitational effect, due to which it slowed down the axial rotation and fell into the gravitational block (therefore, one side is turned towards the Earth).

The planet is protected from stellar radiation by a powerful magnetic field formed by an active core (molten iron).

Diameter: 12760 km.
Orbit: 365.24 days.
Day length: 23 hours and 56 minutes.

The fourth planet from the Sun is Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. The red planet moves along an eccentric orbital path - 230 million km. It spends 686 days on one flight around the Sun, and an axial rotation - 24 hours and 37 minutes. It is tilted at 25.1 degrees and a day lasts 24 hours and 39 minutes. The slope resembles the Earth, so it has seasons.

The diameter of the fourth planet from the Sun (6792 km) is half that of the earth, and the mass reaches 1/10 of the earth. The gravity indicator is 37%.

Mars is unprotected as magnetic field, so the original atmosphere was destroyed solar wind. The devices recorded the outflow of atoms into space. As a result, the pressure reaches 1% of the earth's, and a thin atmospheric layer is represented by 95% carbon dioxide.

The fourth planet from the Sun is extremely frosty, where temperatures drop to -87°C in winter and rise to -5°C in summer. It is a dusty place with gigantic storms capable of covering the entire surface.

Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
Title: Roman god of war.
Diameter: 6787 km.
Orbit: 687 days.
Day length: 24 hours and 37 minutes.

Fifth planet from the Sun - Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. In addition, in front of you is the largest planet in the system, which is 2.5 times more massive than all the planets and covers 1/1000 of the solar mass.

It is 780 million km away from the Sun and spends 12 years on an orbital path. It is filled with hydrogen (75%) and helium (24%) and may have a rocky core immersed in liquid metallic hydrogen with a diameter of 110,000 km. The total planetary diameter is 142,984 km.

V top layer atmosphere are 50-kilometer clouds, represented by ammonia crystals. They are in lanes moving at different speeds and latitudes. The Great Red Spot, a large-scale storm, seems noteworthy.

The fifth planet from the Sun spends 10 hours on an axial rotation. This is a rapid speed, which means that the equatorial diameter is 9000 km more than the polar one.

Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
Name: the main god in the Roman pantheon.
Diameter: 139822 km.
Orbit: 11.9 years.
Day length: 9.8 hours.

The sixth planet from the Sun is Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. Saturn is in the 2nd position in terms of scale in the system, exceeding the earth's radius by 9 times (57,000 km) and 95 times more massive.

It is 1400 million km away from the Sun and spends 29 years on an orbital flight. Filled with hydrogen (96%) and helium (3%). May have a rocky core in liquid metallic hydrogen with a diameter of 56,000 km. The upper layers are represented by liquid water, hydrogen, ammonium hydrosulfide and helium.

The core is heated up to 11700°C and produces more heat than the planet receives from the Sun. The higher we climb, the lower the degree drops. At the top, the temperature is kept at -180°C and 0°C at a depth of 350 km.

The cloud layers of the sixth planet from the Sun resemble the picture of Jupiter, but they are fainter and wider. There is also the Great White Spot, a brief periodic storm. It spends 10 hours and 39 minutes on an axial turn, but it is difficult to give an exact figure, since there are no fixed surface features.

Detection: The ancients saw without the use of tools.
Name: god of economy in the Roman pantheon.
Diameter: 120500 km.
Orbit: 29.45 days.
Day length: 10.5 hours.

The seventh planet from the Sun is Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Uranus is a representative of the ice giants and is the 3rd largest in the system. In diameter (50,000 km) it is 4 times larger than the earth and 14 times more massive.

It is distant by 2900 million km and spends 84 years on the orbital path. Surprisingly, according to the axial tilt (97 degrees), the planet literally rotates on its side.

It is believed that there is a small rocky core around which a mantle of water, ammonia and methane is concentrated. This is followed by a hydrogen, helium and methane atmosphere. The seventh planet from the Sun is also distinguished by the fact that it does not radiate more internal heat, so the temperature mark drops to -224 ° C (the frostiest planet).

Discovery: Noticed by William Herschel in 1781.
Name: personification of the sky.
Diameter: 51120 km.
Orbit: 84 years old.
Day length: 18 hours.

Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. Neptune has been the official last planet in the solar system since 2006. The diameter is 49,000 km, and in terms of massiveness it is 17 times larger than the earth.

It is distant by 4500 million km and spends 165 years on an orbital flight. Due to its remoteness, only 1% of solar radiation (compared to Earth) enters the planet. The axial tilt is 28 degrees, and the rotation is completed in 16 hours.

The meteorology of the eighth planet from the Sun is more pronounced than that of Uranus, so powerful storm actions can be seen at the poles in the form of dark spots. The wind accelerates to 600 m/s, and the temperature mark drops to -220°C. The core is heated up to 5200°C.

Discovery: 1846.
Title: Roman god of water.
Diameter: 49530 km.
Orbit: 165 years.
Day length: 19 hours.

This is a small world, inferior in size to the terrestrial satellite. The orbit intersects with Neptune and in 1979-1999. it could be considered the 8th planet in terms of distance from the Sun. Pluto will remain beyond the orbit of Neptune for more than two hundred years. The orbital path is tilted to the system plane by 17.1 degrees. Frosty World visited New Horizons in 2015.

Discovery: 1930 - Clyde Tombaugh.
Title: Roman god of the underworld.
Diameter: 2301 km.
Orbit: 248 years.
Day length: 6.4 days.

The ninth planet is a hypothetical object living in external system. Its gravity should explain the behavior of trans-Neptunian objects.

It was first announced by Chad Trujillo and Scott Sheppard in 2014. In 2016 they were supported by Konstantin Batygin and Michael Brown. The predicted object should reach 10 Earth masses, and the orbital period - 15,000 years.

The planet has not yet been found and is difficult to detect due to the alleged remoteness. The theory has many supporters, but there are also desperate skeptics looking for other explanations. On our website you will find all the most interesting information about the planets of the solar system for children and adults. The table above lists the distances from the Sun to the planets in order. You can find out not only how many planets are in the solar system, but also get their maximum characteristics from a photo of the surface.

Useful articles.

On March 13, 1781, English astronomer William Herschel discovered the seventh planet in the solar system - Uranus. And on March 13, 1930, American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered the ninth planet in the solar system - Pluto. By the beginning of the 21st century, it was believed that the solar system included nine planets. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided to strip Pluto of this status.

Known for 60 natural satellites Saturn, most of which were discovered using spacecraft. Most satellites are made up of rocks and ice. largest satellite- Titan, discovered in 1655 by Christian Huygens, is larger than the planet Mercury. The diameter of Titan is about 5200 km. Titan orbits Saturn every 16 days. Titan is the only moon to have a very dense atmosphere, 1.5 times the size of Earth's, and consisting mostly of 90% nitrogen, with a moderate amount of methane.

The International Astronomical Union officially recognized Pluto as a planet in May 1930. At that moment, it was assumed that its mass was comparable to the mass of the Earth, but later it was found that the mass of Pluto is almost 500 times less than the Earth's, even less than the mass of the Moon. The mass of Pluto is 1.2 times 1022 kg (0.22 Earth masses). The average distance of Pluto from the Sun is 39.44 AU. (5.9 by 10 to the 12th degree km), the radius is about 1.65 thousand km. The period of revolution around the Sun is 248.6 years, the period of rotation around its axis is 6.4 days. The composition of Pluto supposedly includes rock and ice; the planet has a thin atmosphere composed of nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide. Pluto has three moons: Charon, Hydra and Nyx.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, many objects were discovered in the outer solar system. It has become clear that Pluto is only one of the largest Kuiper belt objects known to date. Moreover, at least one of the objects of the belt - Eris - is a larger body than Pluto and 27% heavier than it. In this regard, the idea arose to no longer consider Pluto as a planet. On August 24, 2006, at the XXVI General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), it was decided to henceforth call Pluto not a "planet", but a "dwarf planet".

At the conference, a new definition of the planet was developed, according to which planets are considered to be bodies that revolve around a star (and are not themselves a star), have a hydrostatically balanced shape and have "cleared" the area in the region of their orbit from other, smaller, objects. Dwarf planets will be considered objects that revolve around a star, have a hydrostatically equilibrium shape, but have not "cleared" the nearby space and are not satellites. Planets and dwarf planets are two different class objects of the solar system. All other objects revolving around the Sun and not being satellites will be called small bodies of the solar system.

Thus, since 2006, there have been eight planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Five dwarf planets are officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris.

On June 11, 2008, the IAU announced the introduction of the concept of "plutoid". It was decided to call plutoids celestial bodies revolving around the Sun in an orbit whose radius is greater than the radius of Neptune's orbit, the mass of which is sufficient so that gravitational forces give them almost spherical shape, and which do not clear space around their orbit (that is, many small objects circle around them).

Since it is still difficult to determine the shape and thus the relation to the class of dwarf planets for such distant objects as plutoids, scientists recommended temporarily assigning to plutoids all objects whose absolute asteroid magnitude (brilliance from a distance of one astronomical unit) is brighter than +1. If later it turns out that the object assigned to the plutoids is not a dwarf planet, it will be deprived of this status, although the assigned name will be left. The dwarf planets Pluto and Eris were classified as plutoids. In July 2008, Makemake was included in this category. On September 17, 2008, Haumea was added to the list.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

If you are an inquisitive person, then you will probably be interested to know the answer to the question. There has been fierce debate on this topic between astronomers for many years. Not so long ago, a person who was interested in the planets in the solar system could declare without the slightest hesitation - there are 9 of them. this moment this is not the case, as Pluto has been removed from the list. For more than seventy years he managed to keep this proud title. Let's see how many planets are in our solar system now.

There are 8 of them at the moment, they revolve, of course, around one of the brightest stars in the galaxy - the Sun.

They are divided into two groups - four so-called inner ones, located close to the star, and the same number of outer ones - which are quite distant from it, but large in size and are considered gas giants.

Let's talk about the first ones first.

The smallest planet in the system is Mercury. It is closest to the Sun than all the others, and has no satellites at all. The surface is dotted with a huge number of craters of different diameters. The atmosphere is missing.

The next one that will attract people who are wondering how many planets there are in the solar system is Venus. Slightly inferior to our native earth in size, there are absolutely no satellites.

Then our planet is the only one on which the existence of life is known for certain. It is on so peculiar that it makes it possible for the very existence of living beings.

Next on the list is, of course, Mars, the red planet that just recently landed another American rover. A favorite place for science fiction writers, and scientists in general.

Next comes the largest object in our system after the Sun. It is many times larger than any planet in our system. It has great amount satellites - as many as sixty-three. The largest of them is Ganymede, it is even more massive than Mercury. Jupiter is also notable for its large red spot - according to scientists, a huge storm that has been known for more than three centuries.

Then comes Saturn - the second largest in the system. It is famous for its rings, consisting of particles of different suits. It also has a lot of satellites - 62 pieces.

Next on the list is Uranus, which is also the coldest of all the planets located in the system. Firstly, it is known for revolving around the sun not like normal planets, but lying on its side, as it were. The minimum temperature on this planet is -224 degrees.

After Uranus was discovered at one time, scientists thought they knew for sure how many planets there were in the solar system. However, after all the distortions in its orbit were taken into account, it became clear that there were others of a similar size.

Therefore, although somewhat later, in 1846, after much research, Neptune was discovered. At the moment, it is the most distant planet from the Sun in our system. It was discovered by a curious method - scientists determined the location before they saw it through a telescope. This was done with the help of ordinary mathematical calculations. It is known to have a total of thirteen satellites. He of blue color- but this is not due to the presence of water, as is the case with our planet, but to large accumulations of methane in the atmosphere.

Let's hope that we have given a sufficiently detailed answer to the question of how many planets in the solar system. Of course, I would also like to include Pluto in this list - but that one, as already mentioned at the beginning of this article, unfortunately, dropped out of the official lists.

Although there is absolutely no point in paying attention to changes in scientific views - all the planets are still in their places, no matter what the concepts changed by scientists say.

On a clear night, when light interference is not a serious factor, the sky looks breathtaking: a huge number of stars open up to view. But, of course, we can only see a small fraction of the stars that actually exist in our galaxy. Even more amazingly, most of them have their own system of planets. The question arises, how many exoplanets are there? In our Galaxy alone, there must be billions of extraterrestrial worlds!

So let's assume that the eight planets that exist within the solar system represent the average. The next step is to multiply this number by the number of stars that exist within the Milky Way. The actual number of stars in our Galaxy is the subject of some dispute. Essentially, astronomers are forced to make rough estimates because we can't view the Milky Way from the outside. And given that it is in the form of a barred spiral, the galactic disk is the most difficult to study due to the interference of light from its many stars. As a result, the estimate is based on calculations of the mass of our Galaxy, as well as the mass fraction of stars in it. Based on these data, scientists have calculated that the Milky Way contains between 100 and 400 billion stars.

Thus, the Milky Way galaxy could have between 800 billion and 3.2 trillion planets. However, in order to determine how many of them are habitable, we must take into account the number of exoplanets studied so far.

As of October 13, 2016, astronomers have confirmed the presence of 3,397 exoplanets out of 4,696 potential candidates that were discovered between 2009 and 2015. Some of these planets have been directly observed during direct imaging. However, the vast majority have been discovered indirectly through transit and radial velocity methods.

The histogram shows the dynamics of exoplanet discovery over the years. Credit: NASA Ames/W. Stenzel, Princeton/T. Morton

During the initial 4-year mission, the Kepler space telescope observed about 150,000 stars, which were mostly M-class, also known as red dwarfs. When Kepler entered a new phase of the K2 mission in November 2013, it shifted its focus to studying K- and G-class stars, which are nearly as bright and hot as the Sun.

According to a recent study by the Ames Research Center (NASA), Kepler found that about 24% of M-class stars could have potentially habitable planets comparable in size to Earth (those that are no more than 1 6 times the radius of the Earth). Based on the number of M-class stars in our Galaxy, there could be about 10 billion potentially habitable, Earth-like worlds.

In addition, analysis of the K2 results suggests that about one-quarter big stars may also have Earth-like planets orbiting within habitable zones. Thus, it can be estimated that only Milky Way there are literally tens of billions of planets potentially suitable for the development of life.

In the coming years, the James Webb and TESS space telescope missions will be able to detect smaller planets orbiting dim stars and possibly even determine if any of them have life. Once these new missions go live, we will have better estimates of the size and number of planets that exist in our galaxy. Until then, their estimated number is encouraging: the chances of extraterrestrial intelligence are very high!