The Solar System – A Simple Introduction to Planets and the Sun (A2)

The Solar System is a big place in space. It has the Sun, eight planets, and many moons. The Sun is a star. It gives us light and heat. Without the Sun, we cannot live on Earth.

The eight planets in our Solar System are:

1. Mercury: This is the closest planet to the Sun. It is very hot during the day and very cold at night.
2. Venus: Venus is the second planet. It is very bright and hot. It is similar to Earth but has thick clouds.
3. Earth: Earth is our home. It has water, air, and life. We have trees, animals, and people on Earth.
4. Mars: Mars is known as the red planet. It is cold and has mountains and valleys. Scientists think there may have been water on Mars a long time ago.
5. Jupiter: Jupiter is the biggest planet. It has a lot of gas and a big storm called the Great Red Spot.
6. Saturn: Saturn is famous for its beautiful rings. The rings are made of ice and rock.
7. Uranus: Uranus is a blue planet. It is very cold and spins on its side.
8. Neptune: Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun. It is very windy and cold.

In our Solar System, the planets move around the Sun. They travel in circles called orbits. Each planet takes a different amount of time to go around the Sun. For example, Earth takes one year to orbit the Sun.