The Solar System

A complete guide to the Solar System including the Sun, all the planets, all the recognized dwarf planets & much else besides - major moons, asteroids, comets, meteoroids & more. You'll also learn about the what lies beyond the Solar System, how the Solar System was formed & how it is expected to evolve in future. Contains numerous color pictures, illustrations & diagrams that will fascinate amateur astronomers & junior scientists.

Updated April 2020

Table of Contents:

1: The Solar System: A Whistle-Stop Tour

The Sun
The Planets
-How Many Planets?
-How Far are the Planets from the Sun?
-Planetary Orbits
-Planetary Rotation
-Types of Planets
Minor Planets, Dwarf Planets & Comets

-Minor Planets of the Inner Solar System - Asteroids
-Minor Planets of the Outer Solar System
-Dwarf Planets

-Comets
Meteoroids, Micrometeoroids & Space Dust
-Meteors & Meteorites
-Sources of Meteoroids & Micrometeoroids
-Meteor Showers & Meteor Storms

Moons
-How Many Moons are There?
-Can a Moon Have Its Own Moons?
-How Big Can Moons Be?
-How Small Can Moons Be?
-Orbital Characteristics of Moons
-Tidal Locking

-Trojan Satellites

2: The Sun
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Rotation
Study & Exploration

3: Mercury
Name & Discovery

Physical Characteristics
Orbit
Rotation
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

4: Venus
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit
Rotation

Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

5: Earth
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Study & Exploration

Orbit
Rotation
The Moon
Study & Exploration
Life

6: Mars
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

7: Jupiter
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Rings
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

8: Saturn
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics

Orbit
Rotation
Rings
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

9: Uranus
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Rings
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

10: Neptune
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Rings
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

11: Planet Nine
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Rings
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

12: Ceres
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Study & Exploration
Life?

13: Pluto
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit
Rotation
Moons
Study & Exploration

Life?

14: Haumea
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit
Rotation
Ring
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

15: Makemake

Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit
Rotation
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

16: Eris
Name & Discovery
Physical Characteristics
Orbit

Rotation
Moons
Study & Exploration
Life?

17: Beyond the Solar System
Stars
-Types of Stars
-Distances to Stars
-Other Solar Systems

Galaxies
-Types of Galaxies
-Our Galaxy - The Milky Way
Groups, Clusters & Superclusters

18: The History of the Solar System
The Big Bang
The First Stars
Later Stars

The Birth of the Solar System
The Formation of the Planets & Asteroids
-Terrestrial Planets
-Giant Planets
-The Asteroid Belt
-Planetary Migration
Moons

Late Heavy Bombardment

19: The Future of the Solar System
The Sun
The Planets
Moons
The Milky Way & the Local Group
The Ultimate Fate of the Universe

Conclusion