Classifying the Planets Rocky Planets Modern Planets (seen with a telescope) Mercury Uranus Venus Neptune Earth Inferior Planets (having an orbit between Earth and the Mars Sun) Gas Giants Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn Superior Planets (having an orbit farther from the Sun Uranus than Earth) Neptune Mars Jupiter Classical Planets (seen without a telescope) Mercury Saturn Uranus Venus Neptune Mars Jupiter Saturn Dwarf Planets Dwarf Planet Diameter (miles) Distance from Sun (miles) Atmosphere 1,473 2,700,000,000 (closest) Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and Pluto 4,600,000,000 (farthest) methane (thin) 1,447 3,500,000,000 (closest) Unknown Eris 12,700,000,000 (farthest) Egg-Shaped 3,300,000,000 (closest) Unknown Haumea Polar 619 4,800,000,000 (farthest) – Equatorial 1,281 –
Classifying the Planets Rocky Planets Mercury Venus Earth Mars Gas Giants Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Classical Planets (seen without a telescope) Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Modern Planets (seen with a telescope) Uranus Neptune Inferior Planets (having an orbit between Earth and the Sun) Mercury Venus Superior Planets (having an orbit farther from the Sun than Earth) Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Dwarf Planets Dwarf Planet Diameter (miles) Distance from Sun (miles) Atmosphere Pluto 1,473 2,700,000,000 (closest) 4,600,000,000 (farthest) Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane (thin) Eris 1,447 3,500,000,000 (closest) 12,700,000,000 (farthest) Unknown Haumea Egg-Shaped Polar – 619 Equatorial – 1,281 3,300,000,000 (closest) 4,800,000,000 (farthest) Unknown
SolSysDataSheet.docx