Explore Solar System Discoveries
![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_mercury.jpg)
Mercury's orbit is so close to the Sun that it is difficult to see from the ground. This explains ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_venus.jpg)
Venus is one of the brightest objects in the sky, so it is clearly visible to the naked eye. ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_mars.jpg)
Mars is much like Venus-- it's very bright and therefore easily spotted in the night sky. ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_jupiter.jpg)
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It is also one of the brighter objects ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_saturn.jpg)
Like the inner planets and Jupiter, Saturn is clearly visible in the night sky. The ancient ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_uranus.jpg)
Astronomer William Herschel is credited with the discovery of Uranus in 1781. He was using ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_neptune.jpg)
If you had a quiz question in school that asked what year Neptune was discovered, you'd probably ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_pluto.gif)
After the discovery of Neptune in 1846, mathematics suggested that there still might be a ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_ceres.jpg)
Ceres is the largest asteroid in the main asteroid belt. It was classified as a "dwarf ...
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![](/images/icons/systemdiscovery_haumea.jpg)
Haumea is a dwarf planet in our Solar System. Haumea is officially the fifth dwarf planet. ...
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More about Solar System Discoveries
Did you know?
Did you know that our solar system now has eight
planets and five
dwarf planets, according to the International Astronomical Union?
Did you know that comets have two tails, not one?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?
Orographic liftxOrographic lift : Occurs when an air mass is forced to rise over geographic relief from a lower elevation. As the air mass rises it expands and cools adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100%, create clouds and precipitation.
Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
Scientists have learned that microbes that live in the soil, like fungi and bacteria, don't produce more carbon dioxide when the climate is warmer. In fact, at first these microbes will produce more carbon...
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