Solar System Exploration

Join us as we explore our solar system.

Planets

Dwarf Planets

10 THINGS about our solar system

This is an updated montage of planetary images taken by spacecraft managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. Included are from top to bottom images of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

1. Many Worlds

Our solar system has eight planets, and five dwarf planets.

Gray-colored asteroid Bennu is shaped like a spinning top.

2. Small Worlds, Too

About 1.4 million asteroids, and about 4,000 comets are in our solar system.

3. Lots of Moons

Our solar system has more than 300 planetary moons.

A swirling Milky Way Galaxy, with our Sun seen on the outskirts.

4. Meet Me in the Milky Way

Our solar system is in one of the Milky Way galaxy’s spiral arms called the Orion Spur.

5. A Long Way Around

Our solar system takes about 230 million years to orbit the galactic center.

6. Spiraling Through Space

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy.

The blue limb of Earth as viewed from the space station.

7. Diverse Atmospheres

Our solar system has many worlds with many types of atmospheres.

8. Ring Worlds

The four giant planets – and at least one asteroid – have rings.

9. Getting Out There

More than 300 robotic spacecraft have left Earth's orbit, and 24 U.S. astronauts have traveled to the Moon.

10. Life as We Know It

So far, Earth is the only place we've found life in our solar system.

Solar System Facts

Our solar system includes the Sun, eight planets, five officially named dwarf planets, hundreds of moons, and thousands of asteroids and comets.

Our solar system is located in the Milky Way, a barred spiral galaxy with two major arms, and two minor arms. Our Sun is in a small, partial arm of the Milky Way called the Orion Arm, or Orion Spur, between the Sagittarius and Perseus arms. Our solar system orbits the center of the galaxy at about 515,000 mph (828,000 kph). It takes about 230 million years to complete one orbit around the galactic center.

Get the Facts

An artist's concept of our solar system.

NASA

Skywatching Tips

What’s Up

What to look for in the night sky.

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Skywatching Hub

Get tips for photographing the Moon, guides, activities, and videos for skywatchers.

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Meteor Showers

When's the next meteor shower, and how many meteors can you expect to see?

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What is a Planet Parade?

Occasionally four or five bright planets can be seen simultaneously with the naked eye. These events, often called "planet parades."

Join the Parade
What are Auroras?

What causes auroras? When and where can you seem them?

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How To...

Explore NASA's tips and guides for observing and photographing the sky.

Visit Our Skywatching Hub

Meteors are seen as streaks of light coming from a central point in the sky. Trees are in the foreground of the image.

Photograph a Meteor Shower

Follow these tips to be rewarded with a great photo of meteors.

An airline flies across the face of the Moon in this forced perspective image that makes the airplane seen big and the Moon seem small.

Photograph the Moon

Capturing the Moon with a camera is satisfying and challenging.

Child looking through tripod-mounted binoculars.

Use Binoculars for Skywatching

Binoculars are an excellent first "telescope" for skywatching.

A nighttime photo shows a landscape of pointy, or pinnacle-shaped, rock formations, with the Milky Way as a glowing, diagonal band in the sky.

Find Good Places to Stargaze

We've got you covered. We'll help you find a great spot.

Eyes on the Solar System

Eyes of the Solar System uses data and images from NASA missions to give you a simulated view of our solar system.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Featured Missions

A silver, wedge-shaped spacecraft with a black telescope on the front, hovers against the darkness of space.

NEO Surveyor

NEO Surveyor will hunt asteroids and comets that are potential hazards to Earth. Launch is no earlier than September 2027.

A spacecraft hovers over a reddish striped moon with planet Jupiter in the background.

Europa Clipper

Europa Clipper launched Oct. 14, 2024, to conduct a detailed investigation of Jupiter's moon Europa.

Psyche

In August 2029, Psyche will arrive at a metal-rich asteroid with the same name.

A gray spacecraft is illustrated over Venus with one of its instruments scanning the planet below.

VERITAS

VERITAS and DAVINCI will be the first NASA spacecraft to explore Venus since the 1990s. VERITAS will launch no earlier than 2031.

10 Things: Movie Night With NASA

Photo of Lauren Farmer next to the North Pole sign

Citizen Science: Choose a Project, Do Science With NASA

What's That Space Rock?

Hubble Finds More Evidence of Water Vapor Plumes on Europa

10 Things: Our Solar System’s Most Marvelous Moons

Resources

Explore curated collections of resources, including activities that can be done at home, as well as videos, animations, handouts, and online interactives.