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Sun: Our Sun is a star, a hot ball of glowing gases at the heart of our solar system. Its influence extensd far beyond the orbits of distant Neptune and Pluto. Mercury: Sun-scorched Mercury's dayside is super heated, but at night temperatures drop hundreds of degrees below freezing. Ice may even survive in a few craters. Venus: A dim world of intense heat and volcanic activity, Venus' thick, toxic atmosphere traps heat in a runaway greenhouse effect. Earth: Air, water, land and life - including humans - combine forces on Earth to create a constantly changing world that we are still striving to understand. Moon: The Moon's presence stabilizes Earth's wobble. This has led to a more stable climate - and may have helped life flourish on our home planet. Mars: Today Mars is a dry desert world, despite some signs that water may have once flowed freely across its surface. Where did the water go? Asteroids: These rocky fragments have been left over from the beginnings of our solar system. Studying them should reveal more about the formation of planets. Ceres: Dwarf planet and asteroid? Discovered in 1801, this most massive known body in the asteroid belt has had its classificiation changed several times. Meteoroids: Scientists estimate that thousands of tons of meteoritic material fall on Earth each day. Large pieces that don't vaporize are called meteorites. Jupiter: Understanding Jupiter's intense magnetic field, swirling atmosphere and diverse moons will reveal much about how planets forms and interact. Saturn: All four giant gas planets have rings - made of chunks of ice and rock - but none are as spectacular or as complicated as Saturn's. Uranus: A collision with an Earth-sized object millions of years ago may explain why Uranus is the only planet tipped on its side. Neptune: Understanding the rapidly changing storms in Neptune's clouds and the source of its unique partial rings will improve our knowledge of the evolution of planets. Comets: Cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock and dust, Comets may hold clues to the origin of our Solar System about 4.6 billion years ago. Pluto: Discovered in 1930, Pluto remains an unexplored celestial snowball orbiting billions of kilometers from our Sun. It is about 30% smaller than Earth's Moon. Eris: The most distant object ever seen orbiting the Sun, this new dwarf planet is the largest solar system body discovered since Neptune and its moon Triton in 1846. Kuiper Belt Objects: This vast reservoir of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune may hold important keys to the formation of our solar system. Beyond Our Solar System: The discovery of planets orbiting stars other than the SUn confirms our solar system is not unique. Extrasolar planets seem to be common in our galaxy. Solar System: Our Solar System is a natural laboratory - on a grand scale - in which we seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe. Solar System: Our Solar System is a natural laboratory - on a grand scale - in which we seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
Planet Selector Map
From our small world we have gazed upon the cosmic ocean for thousands of years. Ancient astronomers observed points of light that appeared to move among the stars.
Moons and Planets of the Solar System
What is a planet? The International Astronomical Union (IAU) said that the definition for a planet is now officially known as "a celestial body that (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape and (c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit." At the same time, new moons are also being discovered, both around existing planets and within these mysterious new worlds. Once the existence of a moon is confirmed and its orbit determined, the moon is given a final name by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the organization that assumed this task since 1919.
Planet Named by the IAU Provisionally Named
Mercury 0 0
Venus 0 0
Earth 1 0
Mars 2 0
Jupiter 49 14
Saturn 52 8
Uranus 27 0
Neptune 13 0
Total Moons Named: 144  
Body Type Named by the IAU Provisionally Named
Known Dwarf Planets 3 0
Dwarf Planet Watch List 6 6

References:

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