Solar System Facts For Kids
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As a kid, studying the solar system can be an adventure that will leave you amazed and dazzled. The solar system consists of eight planets, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. Here are some of the top interesting facts about the solar system that kids ought to know.
1. The Sun Is A Star.
When most people think of the sun, they only see it as a giant ball of fire that gives light to the Earth. However, it’s a hot, glowing ball of gas consisting of hydrogen and helium – just like other stars. The Sun is approximately 109 times bigger than the Earth, and its mass is about 333,000 times greater than the Earth’s.
2. The Planets Are Different Sizes.
The eight planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They’re all different sizes, with Jupiter being the largest planet, and Pluto the smallest.
3. Earth Is The Only Planet That Supports Life.
Earth is the only planet in the solar system that currently supports life. It has the perfect temperature, atmosphere, air pressure, and abundant water to sustain life. Although scientists are still exploring if Mars has ever supported life and if other planets have the potential for life to exist, we haven’t discovered any life beyond the Earth.
4. The Asteroid Belt Is Located Between Mars And Jupiter.
The asteroid belt is millions of rocky debris scattered throughout space between Mars and Jupiter. Most of these rocks are small, and only a few are large enough to destroy a city. Scientists believe many formed when a planet didn’t develop in that location because of Jupiter’s strong gravity.
5. Comets Are ‘Dirty Snowballs.
Comets are made of ice, dust, and rocks. As they move closer to the sun, the ice melts, creating a gas ‘tail’ behind the comet. There is a famous comet known as Halley’s Comet that comes closer to Earth every 76 years and was last seen in 1986.
6. Many Space Objects Float in Space.
Since there’s no gravity in space, objects will continue to move in a straight line at the same speed until they hit something. For instance, as soon as an object is launched into space, it will move in a straight line until it hits something or is pulled by another object’s gravity.
In conclusion, discovering the solar system’s secrets is an adventure that never gets old! These are just a few exciting facts about our solar system. And who knows, with more research, we may learn even more exciting and new information about space.