What is the solar system?

We all know that our solar system consists of the Sun, the nine planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, meteoroids and other solar debris. The Sun holds all these objects in fixed orbits by its strong gravitational pull. The Sun makes up 99% of the mass of solar system. The solar system is a just a vast empty space. The study of the nine planets revolving around the Sun is necessary to understand the solar system. It is very easy to remember the names of the nine planets. The names of the nine planets are contained in the sentence, “My very elegant mother just showed us nine planets.” My — M for Mercury, Very — V for Venus, Elegant — E for Earth, Mother — M for Mars, Just — J for Jupiter, Showed — S for Saturn, Us — U for Uranus, Nine — N for Nepture, and Planets — P for Pluto. However, on September 7, 2006, Pluto was redesignated as a dwarf planet. Mercury: Mercury is the hottest and nearest planet to the Sun. It takes 88 days to complete one revolution around the Sun and the same time to complete one rotation at its own axis. It is difficult to see it very clearly because of its extreme proximity to the Sun. However, studies reveal that there are many hills on its surface. There is no water on this planet. Its distance from the Sun is 58 million kilometres or 36 million kilometres. Venus: Venus is the planet located closest to the Earth. Its distance from the Sun is about 108 million kilometres. It is approximately of the same size and weight as is the Earth. It takes 224.7 days to complete one revolution around the Sun and thirty days to complete one rotation at its own axis. It has some atmosphere. Man has already launched a spacecraft to this planet. Earth: Earth is the only known planet of the Solar System that is inhabited by living beings. Its distance from the Sun is 150 million kilometres. It takes 365¼ days to complete one revolution round the Sun. To complete one rotation at its own axis, it takes about 24 hours. The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth and it revolves around the Earth. Mars: Mars is red in appearance. Besides the Earth, this is the only planet where signs of vegetation are found. Studies have revealed that it has mounds of ice on its poles. Its distance from the Sun is 228 million kilometres. It takes about 687 days to make one revolution around the Sun. It makes one rotation in 24 hours and 37 minutes about its own axis. It has two small moons — Phogos and Diamos. Jupiter: Jupiter is the biggest planet of the solar family. Its distance from the Sun is 778 million kilometres or 484 million miles. It completes one revolution around the Sun in 11.8 years, whereas it makes one rotation at its own axis in 9 hours and 50 minutes. It is 317 times heavier than the Earth. Being at a great distance from the Sun, it is an extremely cold planet. It has a total of 14 moons. Saturn: Saturn is a peculiar planet of the Solar System. Its distance from the Sun is 1,427 million kilometres. It takes 29½ years to complete one revolution around the Sun, but only 10 hours and 14 minutes to make one rotation at its own axis. There are many rings round it. It has a total of 10 moons. Uranus: Uranus completes one revolution around the Sun in 84 years. But it takes 10 hours and 49 minutes to make one rotation at its own axis. Its distance from the Sun is 2,870 million kilometres. It has five moons revolving around it. Neptune: Neptune takes 164.8 years for one revolution around the Sun. It completes one rotation at its own axis in about 15 hours and 48 minutes. Its distance from the Sun is 4,497 million kilometres. It has two moons. Pluto: Pluto is no longer a planet of the Solar System. It is now a dwarf planet and has been given the asteroid number 134340. It completes one revolution of the Sun in 248.4 years. An its own axis it takes 153 hours to complete one rotation. Its distance from the Sun is 5,900 million kilometres. It has one moon. In addition to these planets, there are about 1,700 asteroids, which also revolve around the Sun. They lie between Mars and Jupiter. They are, in fact, small pieces, which have broken away from the bigger planets and have been revolving around the Sun