Sun The sun is the centre of the

Sun • The sun is the centre of the solar system and every revolves a round it. • • • REASONS TO VISIT: The surface of this burning ball of gas is 5500ºC, with the core reaching a sweltering 15. 6 million ºC The Sun is so large, you could fit over one million Earths inside it I The Sun fact file Size Diameter 1, 390, 000 km Mass 1. 989 x 1030 kg Composition Mostly hydrogen Planets 8 Temperature Surface: 5, 800ºC Core: 15, 600, 000ºC Colour Orange Distance from Earth 149. 6 million km • •

Mercury • Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. • • • REASONS TO VISIT: See the sun rise twice in one day Experience the widest range in temperature of any planet, from a chilly -173°C at night to a sizzling 427°C during the day • MERCURY - Fact File: • • • Size Diameter 4880 km Mass 3. 302 x 1023 kg Distance from Sun 57. 91 million km Atmosphere/weather Negligible atmosphere Moons/satellites None Temperature 427ºC day, -173ºC night Colour Dark grey Core Iron rich core about 3600 km in diameter Orbital period 88 Earth days Distance from Earth Max 221. 9 million km, Min 77. 3 million km Length of day 59 Earth days

Venus • Venus is the second planet from the sun • REASONS TO VISIT: • • Experience the longest day of any planet, a staggering 243 Earth days! The only planet where the Sun rises in the west and sets in the east See volcanoes 100 km wide and five km high But watch out for the poisonous Venusian atmosphere - it's full of sulphuric acid • Venus fact file: • • • Size Diameter 12, 104 km Mass 4. 869 x 10 24 kg Distance from Sun 108. 21 million km Distance from Earth Max 261 million km, Min 38 million km Atmosphere/weather Mainly carbon dioxide 90 times Earth pressure Temperature 464ºC Length of year 225 Earth days Length of day 243 Earth days Moons/satellites None Colour White cloud tops Core Iron/nickel core • • •

Earth • • • Earth is the third planet from the sun REASONS TO VISIT : The only planet in the Solar System where life has been confirmed Visit the ancient ruins of human civilisations Enjoy the best night life in the Solar System • • • Earth fact file : Size Diameter 12, 756 km Mass 5. 97 x 1024 kg Distance from Sun 150 million km Atmosphere Mainly nitrogen with oxygen and carbon dioxide Moons/satellites 1 Temperature Average 22ºC Colour Blue and green Core Iron/Nickel Length of year 365. 26 Earth days Length of day 24 Earth hours

Mars • • • Mars is the forth planet from the sun REASONS TO VISIT : See the longest ever canyon system, stretching over 5, 000 km (3, 100 miles) Visit the Solar System's largest volcano - over 50 times bigger than those on Earth Decide for yourself whether the Red Planet once contained life • • • MARS - Fact File: Size Diameter 6794 km Mass 6. 42 x 1023 kg Distance from Sun 228 million km Distance from Earth Max 401 million km, Min 55 million km Atmosphere/weather Thin carbon dioxide atmosphere Temperature -80ºC to -5ºC Length of year 687 Earth days Length of day 24 Earth hours 37 minutes Moons/satellites 2 Colour Red Core Small iron core

Jupiter • • Jupiter is fifth from the sun and it the largest planet • • • Explore a huge world, larger than all the other eight planets put together See the largest storm in the Solar System Visit the largest system of moons of any planet • • • • Jupiter fact file: REASONS TO VISIT: Size Diameter 142, 984 km Mass 1. 898 x 1027 kg Distance from Sun 778. 3 million km Distance from Earth Max 968 million km, Min 598 million km Atmosphere/weather Mainly hydrogen and helium Temperature -48ºC at the surface 20, 000ºC at the core Length of year 4, 330. 6 Earth days Length of day 10 hours 40 minutes Moons/satellites 63 Colour Yellow/orange Core Iron and rock core

Saturn • • • • Saturn is the sixth planet and the second largest. REASONS TO VISIT: The most spectacular ring system of any planet in the Solar System This planet's density is so small that it would float on water - if there were an ocean large enough! Size Diameter 120, 536 km Mass 5. 68 x 1026 kg Distance from Sun 1, 427 million km Distance from Earth Max 1, 659 million km, Min 1, 196 million km Atmosphere/weather Mainly hydrogen and helium Temperature -178ºC on the surface 12, 000ºC at the core Length of year 10, 756 Earth days Length of day 10 Earth hours 14 minutes Moons/satellites 56 Colour Beige Core Rocky iron core

Uranus • • Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun REASONS TO VISIT: • • • Visit this giant ball of gas, four times bigger than the Earth The only planet to spin on its side Experience 42 -year nights and days • Uranus fact file: • • • Size Diameter 51, 118 km Mass 8. 683 x 1025 kg Distance from Sun 2, 871 million km Distance from Earth Max 3, 157 million km, Min 2, 582 million km Atmosphere/weather Hydrogen, helium, methane Temperature -216ºC Length of year 30, 707 Earth days Length of day 17 Earth hours 12 minutes Moons/satellites 27 Colour Blue/green Core Rock/ice

Neptune • • • Neptune is the eighth from the sun REASONS TO VISIT: The fastest winds in the Solar System at over 2, 000 km per hour The gases in Neptune's atmosphere give it a unique deep blue hue Neptune fact file: • • • Size Diameter 49, 528 km Mass 1. 024 x 1026 kg Distance from Sun 4, 498 million km Distance from Earth Max 4, 687 million km, Min 4, 306 million km Atmosphere/weather Hydrogen, helium and methane Temperature -214ºC Length of year 60, 190 Earth days Length of day 16 Earth hours 7 minutes Moons/satellites 13 Colour Deep blue Core Rocky/ice core