Explore Planets
![](/images/icons/systemplanet_whatis.jpg)
Do you know what a planet is? Guess what... astronomers are not quite sure what a planet is! ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_mercury.jpg)
Mercury, the planet nearest the Sun, is the second smallest planet in the solar system. Only ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_venus.jpg)
Fair but inhospitable Venus, a "Sister" planet to the Earth that is very different from our ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_earth.jpg)
Earth, our home planet, is a beautiful blue and white ball when seen from space. ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_mars.jpg)
Mars, Earth's outer neighbor, is the fourth planet from the Sun. Mars' bright appearance and ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_jupiter.jpg)
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. When approached from afar, its fantastic ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_saturn.jpg)
Saturn, the sixth planet from the Sun, has the most spectacular set of rings in the solar system. ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_uranus.jpg)
Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, has its spin axis almost in the plane of its orbit ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_neptune.jpg)
Neptune, the eighth and furthest planet from the Sun, is a very cold place. Its bluish color ...
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![](/images/icons/systemplanet_pluto.jpg)
In 2006 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) approved a new classification scheme for ...
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Did you know?
Did you know that the
Maya and the
Aztecs were early observers of
Venus?
Do you know who discovered Uranus?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?
RiparianxRiparian : The bank of a river or other body of water; may include the floodplains
Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
Scientists who study plants in the Sonoran Desert are worried about global warming. Desert winters have become warmer and drier over the years, and climate changes have pushed the arrival of winter rains...
Read more![](/olpa/images/desert_plants_small.jpg)