Our Solar System

Can You Name the 8 Planets (and Asteroid Belt) in Order?

Mnemonic Devices

My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us NachosMen Very Easily Make a Jug Serve Useful NeedsMy Very Easy Method: Just Sleep Until NoonMy Very Excellent Mother Just Sat Under NeptuneMy Very Excited Mother Just Sat on Needles

Groups of Planets

Inner Planets - The Terrestrial Planets

Includes Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars

Small in Size

Very Dense

Rocky

Outer Planets - The Gas Giants

Includes Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

Large in size

Low Densities

Gaseous

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What makes up a solar system?

Planets

Asteroids

MoonsComets

StarMeteors

Solar System Vocabulary

Star - Giant ball of burning gas held together by gravity

Solar System Vocabulary

Moon - natural satellite which orbits a planet

Planet - object orbiting a star that is large enough to be rounded by its own gravity

Solar System Vocabulary

Asteroid - small bodies made up of rock and metal which orbit the sun

Meteor - meteoroid (smaller than asteroids) that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere Comet - small body of ice and rock that orbits the sun; originates from outer solar system; has a coma and a tail