Planets of the Solar System in Order
Spin the solar system, then click any planet for a close-up and the facts you need. Learn the 8 planets in order from the Sun — for NEET, UPSC, SSC and Class 6–10.
Remember the order with this sentence:
My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos
M = MercuryV = VenusE = EarthM = MarsJ = JupiterS = SaturnU = UranusN = Neptune
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The 8 planets in order from the Sun
- Mercury Terrestrial 58 million km from the Sun · 0 moons Closest to the Sun and the smallest planet. No real atmosphere to trap heat, so it is NOT the hottest — Venus is.
- Venus Terrestrial 108 million km from the Sun · 0 moons Hottest planet (not Mercury) because of its greenhouse atmosphere. Spins in reverse (retrograde). Called Earth’s "twin" for its similar size.
- Earth Terrestrial 150 million km from the Sun · 1 moon 1 AU = 150 million km (the reference distance). Only planet known to support life; has exactly 1 moon.
- Mars Terrestrial 228 million km from the Sun · 2 moons Red colour = iron oxide (rust). Has 2 moons, Phobos and Deimos. Prime target in the search for past life.
- Jupiter Gas giant 778 million km from the Sun · 95 moons Biggest planet; mostly hydrogen & helium (a gas giant). Fastest spin → shortest day (~10 hrs). First of the outer planets.
- Saturn Gas giant 1.4 billion km from the Sun · 146 moons Spectacular ring system; the most moons of any planet. Lowest density of all planets (less than water).
- Uranus Ice giant 2.9 billion km from the Sun · 28 moons Rotates on its side (~98° axial tilt). Pale blue-green from methane. An "ice giant", not a gas giant.
- Neptune Ice giant 4.5 billion km from the Sun · 16 moons Farthest from the Sun; deep-blue ice giant. Strongest winds in the solar system. Discovered by mathematical prediction (1846).
Good to know: the four inner planets (Mercury–Mars) are small, rocky terrestrial planets; the four outer planets (Jupiter–Neptune) are huge gas and ice giants. Between them lies the asteroid belt. Pluto was counted as the 9th planet until 2006, when it was reclassified as a dwarf planet — so today there are 8 planets.
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