How many planets are in the Solar System?

The Solar System is made up of eight planets.
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
Each planet orbits the Sun and has different properties.


Watch: The Planets Song
Learn the order of the planets with this fun song.
BOTH: ‘’Mercury, Venus, one and two, Earth makes three, that’s home to you. Mars rocks in at number four, Jupiter, Saturn – that’s two more. Uranus and Neptune, then we’re done, The eight planets of the Solar System!’’
EARTH: ‘’Mercury, smallest and closest to the Sun.’’
MOON: ‘’Living on this rocky planet would not be much fun.’’
EARTH: ‘’Temperature ranges are mighty severe.’’
MOON: ‘’And get this, its day is twice as long as its year.’’
EARTH: ‘’Venus is called my evil twin!’’
MOON: ‘’It’s not the kind of atmosphere you’d want live in.’’
EARTH: ‘’It may look pretty in the evening sky.’’
MOON: ‘’But this planet of volcanoes is selling you a lie.’’
EARTH: ‘’Third rock Earth – I’m the place you call home. Spinning beautiful and blue in the Goldilocks Zone. A planet with life – yeah, that makes me unique.’’
MOON: ‘’And I orbit round you every four weeks!’’
EARTH (spoken): ‘’You’re crowding me – move.’’
EARTH: ‘’Mars, the red planet, and rock number four.’’
MOON: ‘’The Romans named it after their God of War.’’
EARTH: ‘’A bone dry planet, where it never rains.’’
MOON: ‘’The dust storms rage across its mountainous plains.’’
BOTH: ‘’Mercury, Venus, one and two, Earth makes three, that’s home to you. Mars rocks in at number four, Jupiter, Saturn – that’s two more, Uranus and Neptune, then we’re done, The eight planets of the Solar System.’’
EARTH: ‘’Jupiter, the largest and fifth from Sun, With its Great Red Spot it’s gas giant number one.’’
MOON: ‘’Massive Saturn, doesn’t it look nice, With its shimmering rings made of rock and ice.’’
EARTH: ‘’Uran-us…’’
MOON: ‘’… or Ur-anus,’’
EARTH: ‘’…okay, you decide. What to call planet seven that lies on its side.’’
MOON: ‘’This big gassy giants as cold as can be, with huge diamonds floating on a carbon sea.’’
EARTH: ‘’Neptune is our last but not least number eight.’’
MOON: ‘’If you don’t like sunlight, then this place is great’’
EARTH: ‘’Shhh – there was a time, when we had a planet nine.’’
MOON: ‘’Yeah, but it should be noted, Pluto got demoted.’’
BOTH: ‘’Mercury, Venus, one and two, Earth makes three, that’s home to you. Mars rocks in at number four, Jupiter, Saturn – that’s two more, Uranus and Neptune, and we’re done, The eight planets of the Solar System. All spinning round the burning Sun The eight planets of the Solar System.’’
Five fun facts about the Solar System

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are known as the rocky planets.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are the gas planets.
Mercury is the smallest planet and closest to the Sun.
Jupiter is the largest plant in the Solar System. The red spot on its surface is a gigantic storm that has raged for over 300 years!
Pluto used to be classed as a planet but is now known as a dwarf planet.

Quiz: The planets
The order of the planets

Trying to remember all the planets in the correct order can be tricky!
There are some mnemonics – a rhyme which can help you remember the order of the planets.
Here is an example:
My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming (Planets.)
Have a go at writing your own mnemonic.

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