# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bagpipes in Space? Yep, It Happened - STEM in 30

# data[].attributes.body
from Spotify

# data[].attributes.body
Pres. Kennedy at Rice University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
President John F. Kennedy delivers his famous "moon" speech at Rice University in Houston.

# data[].attributes.body
Use this to explore with NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
NASA is taking a steppingstone approach to human exploration in space. Building on NASA's 60 years of exploration experience and more than 20 years of continuous human presence on the International Space Station in low Earth orbit, we will extend humanity farther into space than ever before. The International Space Station has built the foundation to conduct complex operations in space, perform research in a microgravity environment, foster a growing space economy, and forge international partnerships toward a common goal. Artemis missions will establish our long-term presence at the Moon as astronauts explore more of the lunar surface than ever before to learn about the origins of the solar system and prepare for humanity's next giant leap: human missions to Mars.

Architecture

Moon to Mars Architecture

NASA's Moon to Mars architecture represents the hardware and operations needed for human missions to the Moon and Mars, and how they function together as a system.

The architecture is not a mission, a manifest, or a set of requirements, but it does define the elements - rockets, spacecraft, rovers, spacesuits, communications relays, and more - that will be incrementally developed and delivered to the Moon and Mars for long-term, human-led scientific discovery in deep space.

Learn More about Moon to Mars Architecture

That's one small step for (a) man; one giant leap for mankind.

Neil Armstrong

Apollo astronaut

Discover More Topics From NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA is taking a steppingstone approach to human exploration in space. Building on NASA's 60 years of exploration experience and more than 20 years of continuous human presence on the International Space Station in low Earth orbit, we will extend humanity farther into space than ever before.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the first moon walk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
July 20, 1969: One Giant Leap For Mankind - NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
July 1969. It’s a little over eight years since the flights of Gagarin and Shepard, followed quickly by President Kennedy’s challenge to put a man on the moon

# data[].attributes.body
Learn about the Mars landing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mars 2020: Entry, Descent and Landing (Seven Minutes of Terror)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NASA Astronaut Drew Feustel Records Music Video from Space

# data[].attributes.body
Click on this link to learn about the FUTURE of space travel...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Manned Space Exploration The Future-- Artemis and Orion

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MANNED SPACE EXPLORATION In this presentation we will travel through time to see the future of manned space exploration from the USA

# data[].attributes.body
Use this website to find out how high you would jump on each planet!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How high could you jump on other objects in the Solar System?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Space makes eating a lot more fun!' Astronauts explain food prep

# data[].attributes.headline
How do you go to the BATHROOM in space??

# data[].attributes.subject
How do you go to the BATHROOM in space??

# data[].attributes.headline
Astronaut Mike Fossum interview in SPACE

# data[].attributes.subject
Astronaut Mike Fossum interview in SPACE

# data[].attributes.body
"Anything is POSSIBLE"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Astronaut Mike Fossum Visits From Space Station

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is life like on the International Space Station?

# data[].attributes.body
Fun Facts for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Astronauts very intelligent and dedicated. Since have sending Astronauts to space, about 500 have gone. They are lucky, as they are the only people who have seen Earth from space.

# data[].attributes.body
Check out this site to make a mission patch for your new adventure!!!

# data[].attributes.body
Everything about everything NASA is doing in space!!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA encourages you to visit NASA Kids' Club and use its games and activities to inspire the next generation.

# data[].attributes.body
NASA has a lot of videos of astronauts in space!!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Destinations

Earth, Moon, and Mars

With more than 20 years of operations in low Earth orbit, we are preparing our return to the Moon for long-term exploration and discovery before taking the next giant leap to Mars.

Never has humanity endeavored to simultaneously architect multinational infrastructures in lunar orbit, on the lunar surface, and at Mars - all while maintaining high-demand government and private-sector operations in low Earth orbit.

Destinations about Earth, Moon, and Mars

Space Station Expedition 70

The Expedition 70 crew began on Sept. 27, 2023. The astronauts and cosmonauts will be studying an array of microgravity phenomena to benefit humans living on and off the Earth. The orbital residents will also explore heart health, cancer treatments, space manufacturing techniques, and more during their long-duration stay in Earth orbit.

Expedition 70 about Space Station Expedition 70

Why Go to Space

Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the universe and the history of our solar system.

NASA's exploration vision is anchored in providing value for humanity by answering some of the most fundamental questions: Why are we here? How did it all begin? Are we alone? What comes next?

Why Go to Space about Why Go to Space

More Humans in Space News

Discover More Topics From NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Destinations Earth, Moon, and Mars With more than 20 years of operations in low Earth orbit, we are preparing our return to the Moon for long-term exploration and discovery before taking the next giant leap to Mars.

# data[].attributes.body
Do you want to just research the planets?? Check this site out!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Planets for Kids

I really hope you enjoy the information that I have provided on this website. You will find lots of information about our solar system with lots of questions and answers and games for you to play. We also have a color in section where you can download pictures and have fun. Remember everything here is "Kid-friendly" so lets get started....

We have nine planets in our Solar System. These planets circle around the sun (as I'm sure you know already) this is called orbits.

A lot of astronomy people like to think of the Solar System been made up in two parts We have the Inner Solar System which has Mercury, Venus, Earth and not forgetting Mars. These are closest to the sun and are called the terrestrial planets simply because the have very solid rocky surfaces.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Planets For Kids - Solar System Facts and Astronomy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I really hope you enjoy the information that I have provided on this website. You will find lots of information about our solar system with lots of questions and answers and games for you to play. We also have a color in section where you can download pictures and have fun.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Listen to an audio version of this page.
Sorry, your browser does not support the audio element, please consider updating.

Venus: Earth's Twin

Venus is called the Evening Star. It is called this because it looks so bright to us from Earth.

Venus and Earth are almost the same size. Venus is the closest planet to Earth, but it does not have oceans or human life like Earth. Venus gets so hot during the day that it could melt a lead cannonball. The temperature rises to 484 degrees Celsius on the side facing the Sun. Venus has very thick, rapidly spinning clouds which cover its surface. These clouds hold heat in. That is why Venus gets so hot. These clouds also reflect sunlight. That is why Venus appears so bright to us here on Earth. There are constant thunderstorms in these clouds. Venus has several large inactive volcanoes. Much of the surface is covered by old lava flows from these volcanoes.

Venus is unusual because it rotates in a direction opposite that of all of the other planets. Venus spins very slowly as it orbits the Sun.

A Question

Why does the surface of Venus get so hot?

The StarChild site is a service of the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC), Dr. Alan Smale (Director), within the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA/GSFC.

StarChild Authors: The StarChild Team
StarChild Graphics & Music: Acknowledgments
StarChild Project Leader: Dr. Laura A. Whitlock
Curator:J.D. Myers
Responsible NASA Official: Phil Newman

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen to an audio version of this page. Sorry, your browser does not support the audio element, please consider updating. Venus: Earth's Twin Venus is called the Evening Star. It is called this because it looks so bright to us from Earth. Venus and Earth are almost the same size.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The story of our moon's origin does not add up. Most scientists think that that the moon formed in the earliest days of our solar system. That would have been back around 4.5 billion years ago. At that time, some scientists suspect, a Mars-sized rocky object - what they call a protoplanet - smacked into the young Earth. This collision would have sent debris from both worlds hurling into orbit. Some of the rubble eventually would have stuck together, creating our moon.

Or maybe not.

Astronomers refer to that protoplanet as Theia (THAY-ah). Named for the Greek goddess of sight, no one knows if this big rock ever existed - because if it did, it would have died in that violent collision with Earth.

R. Canup/SWRI

And here's why some astronomers have come to doubt Theia was real: If it smashed into Earth and helped form the moon, then the moon should look like a hybrid of Earth and Theia. Yet studies of lunar rocks show that the chemical composition of Earth and its moon are exactly the same. So that planet-on-planet impact story appears to have some holes in it.

That has prompted some researchers to look for other moon-forming scenarios. One proposal: A string of impacts created mini moons largely from Earth material. Over time, they might have merged to form one big moon.

"Multiple impacts just make more sense," says Raluca Rufu. She's a planetary scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. "You don't need this one special impactor to form the moon."

But Theia shouldn't be left on the cutting room floor - at least not yet. Earth and Theia could have been built largely from the same type of material, new research suggests. Then they would have had a similar chemical recipe. There is no sign of "other" material on the moon, this explanation argues, because nothing about Theia was different.

"I'm absolutely on the fence between these two opposing ideas," says Edward Young. He studies cosmochemistry - the chemistry of the universe - at the University of California, Los Angeles. Determining which story is correct is going to take more research. But the answer could offer profound insights into the evolution of the early solar system, Young says.

Mother of the moon

Earth's moon is an oddball. Most other moons in our solar system live way out among the gas giants, such as Saturn and Jupiter. The only other terrestrial planet with orbiting moons is Mars. Its moons, Phobos and Deimos, are small. The leading explanation for them is that likely were once asteroids. At some point, they were captured by the Red Planet's gravity. Earth's moon is too big for that scenario. If the moon had come in from elsewhere, it probably would have crashed into Earth or escaped and fled into space.

An alternate explanation dates from the 1800s. It suggests that moon-forming material flew off of a fast-spinning young Earth. (Imagine children tossed from an out-of-control merry-go-round.) That idea fell out of favor, though, when scientists calculated the spin speeds required. They were impossibly fast.

In the mid-1970s, planetary scientists proposed the giant-impact hypothesis. (Later, in 2000, they named that mysterious planet-sized body as Theia.) The notion of a big rocky collision made sense. After all, the early solar system was like a game of cosmic billiards. Giant space-rock smash-ups were common.

But a 2001 study of rocks collected during NASA's Apollo missions to the moon cast doubt on the giant-impact hypothesis. Research showed that Earth and its moon were surprisingly alike. To figure out a rock's origin, scientists measure the relative abundance of different forms of oxygen. Called isotopes (EYE-so-toaps), they are forms of an element with different masses. (The reason they differ: Although each has the same number of protons in its nuclei, they have different numbers of neutrons.)
Story continues below graph.

N. Dauphas/Nature 2017

Scientists can use amounts of various isotopes as something like fingerprints at a crime scene. Rocks from Earth and its moon, the scientists found, had seemingly identical mixes of oxygen isotopes. That didn't make sense if much of the moon's material came from Theia, not Earth. Rufu and her colleagues modeled the impact on a computer. From that they calculated the chance of a Theia collision yielding a moon with an Earthlike composition. And it was very slim.

Studies have been done of other elements in moon rocks, such as titanium and zirconium. They, too, suggest that Earth and its moon originated from the same material. Young at UCLA and his colleagues recently repeated the oxygen isotope measurements. They used the latest techniques. They were hunting for even the slightest difference between Earth and the moon.

In January 2016, the team published its results in Science. "We measured the oxygen to the highest precision available," Young says. "And, gosh, the Earth and moon still look identical."

It's time to think outside the Theia-smashup box, some scientists now argue. Not one but many impacts likely built up our moon. Rufu and her colleagues proposed this in the February Nature Geoscience. The moon, they say, has an Earthlike composition because most of the material flung into orbit during all of those impacts came from Earth.

Mini-moon merger

Scientists first put the multi-impact idea forward in 1989. But back then, they didn't have the computer power to run the simulations to test it. Computer models are finally up to the task. Rufu's team recently worked on one such model to investigate the idea of multiple smashups in Earth's early history. Each incoming body had about a hundredth to a tenth of Earth's mass.

Any direct hits would have transferred lots of energy to our planet. Those would have excavated Earthy material, flinging it into space. Debris from each impact would have combined over the centuries to form a small moon, the modeling shows. As more impacts rocked Earth over tens of millions of years, more mini moons would have formed. Eventually, gravity would have pulled them together. Over roughly 100 million years, according to this scenario, roughly 20 mini moons could have merged to form one mighty moon.

In the computer modeling study, a multi-moon explanation yields the right lunar mix in about one in every five tests. That's better than the 1 or 2 in a hundred likelihood for the giant-impact hypothesis, the researchers note. "The biggest takeaway is that you cannot explain everything with one shot," Rufu says.

Planetary scientist Robin Canup finds her logic convincing. Canup works at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo. "To me, this appears to be a real contender alongside the one big-impactor hypothesis," she says.
Story continues below image.

R. RUFU ET AL/NATURE GEOSCIENCE 2017

Don't discount Theia

But the Theia hypothesis is far from dead. The odds of Theia resembling Earth's composition enough to yield an Earthlike moon may be a lot higher than originally thought. That is the conclusion of some new chemical analyses. Most of the material that makes up Earth came from the same source as a certain type of meteorite. These are called enstatite chondrites (En-STAT-tyte KON-drytes).

Like oxygen, the isotopic mix of other elements in Earth's rocks serves as a fingerprint of their source. Some elements are iron-lovers, such as ruthenium (Ru-THEE-nee-um). In the semi-solid rock below Earth's surface, these elements quickly sink toward Earth's iron-rich core. Any ruthenium found near to Earth's surface, in its mantle, probably arrived late in Earth's development. Elements that aren't so iron loving, such as calcium and titanium, wouldn't sink to the core. They would stay in the mantle. Their isotopes would then record what went into Earth's assembly over a much longer period of time.

Nicolas Dauphas is a planetary scientist at the University of Chicago in Illinois. He looked at both the elements that love iron and those that aren't so fond of it. He then created a timeline of what types of space rocks would have needed to be added to Earth's mass and when to create that mix.

A mix of different rocks supplied the first 60 percent of Earth's mass, Dauphas concludes. And they included some resembling enstatite chondrite meteorites. The rest of the mix came almost exclusively from materials that led to those meteorites. In the end, Dauphas estimates, some three-quarters of Earth's mass came from the same material as enstatite chondrites. He reported his analyses January 26 in Nature.

If Theia formed at around the same distance from the sun as Earth, it would therefore contain mostly the same material, he says. So if the moon formed largely from a Theia collision with Earth, it makes sense that moon rocks today would have a similar recipe to Earth.

"Most of the problem is solved, in my opinion," says Marc Javoy. He's a cosmochemist at the Institute of Earth Physics of Paris in France. All you have to do, he says, is "admit that the great impactor's material was no different than that of the [early] Earth. It's the simplest hypothesis." It also would mean that the material gobbled up by budding planets in the inner solar system was fairly uniform in its chemical ingredients.

N. Dauphas

The notion that Earth is made from the same material as enstatite chondrites "doesn't make many people happy," says Richard Carlson. He's a geochemist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C. The isotopes in Earth's mantle and the meteorites may match. However, the relative abundance of those elements do not. Carlson noted this in a commentary published January 26 in Nature. An additional step in the process is needed to explain this mismatch in the amount of those common ingredients, he says.

"What we have now are a lot of new ideas," says Sarah Stewart. "Now we need to test them." Stewart is a planetary scientist at the University of California, Davis.

One recently proposed test would be based on temperature. A new study compared the moon's chemistry with glass forged by a nuclear blast. Its data suggest that temperatures during or just after the moon's birth reached a sizzling 1400° Celsius (about 2600° Fahrenheit). That means any plausible moon-forming scenario must involve such high temperatures. Researchers reported this on February 8 in Science Advances.

High heat causes rocks to leach isotopes of zinc. The intense heat of the 1945 Trinity nuclear test in New Mexico forged a green-tinged glass. That glass lacks these isotopes of zinc, says James Day. He is a study coauthor and geologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif. The same goes for lunar rocks. Such high temperatures during or just after the moon's formation fit with the giant-impact hypothesis, he says.

But wait: Rufu calculates that her multi-impact hypothesis also yields high enough temperatures. So maybe temperature can't resolve the debate.

Probing the composition of the deep interiors of both Earth and its moon could prove the mini-moon explanation right, says Rufu. After all, she argues, without a single giant collision, the interiors of the two worlds may not have mixed well enough.

Dauphas says that measuring the compositions of other planets could support his proposal that Theia could have been similar in composition to Earth. Mercury and Venus also would have formed largely from the same kind of material as Earth. So they likely would also have Earthlike compositions, he says.

Future studies of other planets in the solar system could confirm or rule out these predictions. But that will require a new chapter of space exploration.

Power Words
More About Power Words

Apollo missions NASA's third human spaceflight program eventually took humans to the lunar surface. Along the way, this program sought to develop the technologies needed for long-distance space travel. It got a big kick-start after President John F. Kennedy proposed in 1961 creating the national goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

asteroid A rocky object in orbit around the sun. Most asteroids orbit in a region that falls between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Astronomers refer to this region as the asteroid belt.

calcium A chemical element which is common in minerals of the Earth's crust.

chemical A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H ₂ O. Chemical can also be used as an adjective to describe properties of materials that are the result of various reactions between different compounds.

chemistry The field of science that deals with the composition, structure and properties of substances and how they interact. Chemists use this knowledge to study unfamiliar substances, to reproduce large quantities of useful substances or to design and create new and useful substances. (about compounds) Chemistry also is used as a term to refer to the recipe of a compound, the way it's produced or some of its properties. People who work in this field are known as chemists.

coauthor One of a group (two or more people) who together had prepared a written work, such as a book, report or research paper. Not all coauthors may have contributed equally.

colleague Someone who works with another; a co-worker or team member.

commentary (in science) An opinion piece, often written to accompany - and add perspective to - a paper by others, which describes new research findings.

computer model A program that runs on a computer that creates a model, or simulation, of a real-world feature, phenomenon or event.

core Something - usually round-shaped - in the center of an object. (in geology) Earth's innermost layer. Or, a long, tube-like sample drilled down into ice, soil or rock. Cores allow scientists to examine layers of sediment, dissolved chemicals, rock and fossils to see how the environment at one location changed through hundreds to thousands of years or more.

cosmic An adjective that refers to the cosmos - the universe and everything within it.

cosmochemistry A merger of the words cosmos and chemistry, this term refers to a field of science dealing with the chemical composition of the universe.

debris Scattered fragments, typically of trash or of something that has been destroyed.

element (in chemistry) Each of more than one hundred substances for which the smallest unit of each is a single atom. Examples include hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, lithium and uranium.

enstatite chondrite A rare type of meteorite known for its unusual mineral makeup. These rocky bodies are rich in the enstatite - a magnesium rich mineral that usually includes lots of iron. Their recipe points to these meteorites likely having formed in our solar system's early history, when the region between the sun and Mercury had little oxygen.

evolution (v. to evolve) A process by which species undergo changes over time, usually through genetic variation and natural selection. These changes usually result in a new type of organism better suited for its environment than the earlier type. The newer type is not necessarily more "advanced," just better adapted to the conditions in which it developed. Or the term can refer to changes that occur as some natural progression within the non-living world (such as computer chips evolving to smaller devices which operate at an ever faster speed).

gas giant A giant planet that is made mostly of the gases helium and hydrogen. Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants.

geoscience Any of a number of sciences, like geology or atmospheric science, concerned with better understanding Earth. People who work in this field are known as geoscientists.

glass A hard, brittle substance made from silica, a mineral found in sand. Glass usually is transparent and fairly inert (chemically nonreactive). Aquatic organisms called diatoms build their shells of it.

gravity The force that attracts anything with mass, or bulk, toward any other thing with mass. The more mass that something has, the greater its gravity.

hypothesis (v. hypothesize) A proposed explanation for a phenomenon. In science, a hypothesis is an idea that must be rigorously tested before it is accepted or rejected.

iron A metallic element that is common within minerals in Earth's crust and in its hot core. This metal also is found in cosmic dust and in many meteorites.

isotope Different forms of an element that vary somewhat in mass (and potentially in lifetime). All have the same number of protons but different numbers neutrons in their nucleus.

Jupiter (in astronomy) The solar system's largest planet, it has the shortest day length (10 hours). A gas giant, its low density indicates that this planet is composed of light elements, such as hydrogen and helium. This planet also releases more heat than it receives from the sun as gravity compresses its mass (and slowly shrinks the planet).

lunar Of or relating to Earth's moon.

mantle (in geology) The thick layer of the Earth beneath its outer crust. The mantle is semi-solid and generally divided into an upper and lower mantle.

Mars The fourth planet from the sun, just one planet out from Earth. Like Earth, it has seasons and moisture. But its diameter is only about half as big as Earth's.

mass A number that shows how much an object resists speeding up and slowing down - basically a measure of how much matter that object is made from.

meteorite A lump of rock or metal from space that passes through Earth's atmosphere and collides with the ground.

moon The natural satellite of any planet.

NASA Short for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Created in 1958, this U.S. agency has become a leader in space research and in stimulating public interest in space exploration. It was through NASA that the United States sent people into orbit and ultimately to the moon. It also has sent research craft to study planets and other celestial objects in our solar system.

neutron A subatomic particle carrying no electric charge that is one of the basic pieces of matter. Neutrons belong to the family of particles known as hadrons.

nucleus (in physics) The central core of an atom, containing most of its mass. The plural form is nuclei.

oceanography (adj. oceanographic ) The branch of science that deals with the physical and biological properties and phenomena of the oceans. People who work in this field are known as oceanographers.

orbit The curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet or moon. One complete circuit around a celestial body.

oxygen A gas that makes up about 21 percent of Earth's atmosphere. All animals and many microorganisms need oxygen to fuel their growth (and metabolism).

physics The scientific study of the nature and properties of matter and energy. Classical physics is an explanation of the nature and properties of matter and energy that relies on descriptions such as Newton's laws of motion. Quantum physics, a field of study that emerged later, is a more accurate way of explaining the motions and behavior of matter. A scientist who works in such areas is known as a physicist.

planet A celestial object that orbits a star, is big enough for gravity to have squashed it into a roundish ball and has cleared other objects out of the way in its orbital neighborhood. To accomplish the third feat, the object must be big enough to have pulled neighboring objects into the planet itself or to have slung them around the planet and off into outer space. Astronomers of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) created this three-part scientific definition of a planet in August 2006 to determine Pluto's status. Based on that definition, IAU ruled that Pluto did not qualify. The solar system now includes eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

planetary science The science of planets other than Earth.

precursor A substance from which some later thing is made. It may be a compound that will change into something else as a result of some chemical or biological reaction.

proton A subatomic particle that is one of the basic building blocks of the atoms that make up matter. Protons belong to the family of particles known as hadrons.

protoplanet A consolidating celestial object that might one day turn into a planet - but if any only if that object is large, orbits some star, and during its orbiting will eventually sweep other debris out of its path.

Saturn The sixth planet out from the sun in our solar system. One of the four gas giants, this planet takes 10.7 hours to rotate (completing a day) and 29 Earth years to complete one orbit of the sun. It has at least 53 known moons and 9 more candidates awaiting confirmation. But what most distinguishes this planet is the broad and flat plane of seven rings that orbit it.

scenario An imagined situation of how events or conditions might play out.

simulation (v. simulate) An analysis, often made using a computer, of some conditions, functions or appearance of a physical system. A computer program would do this by using mathematical operations that can describe the system and how it might vary in response to various situations or over time.

solar system The eight major planets and their moons in orbit around our sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of dwarf planets, asteroids, meteoroids and comets.

sun The star at the center of Earth's solar system. It's an average size star about 26,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Also a term for any sunlike star.

terrestrial Having to do with planet Earth, especially its land. Terra is Latin for Earth.

Theia (in astronomy) The name of a hypothetical protoplanet, named for the Greek goddess of sight, who was also the supposed mother of the moon goddess Selene. If this protoplanet existed, the Mars-sized rocky world would have died in a violent collision with Earth, some 4.5 billion years ago. Part of the debris from it - and Earth - might have eventually collected to form a new celestial object: Earth's moon.

universe The entire cosmos: All things that exist throughout space and time. It has been expanding since its formation during an event known as the Big Bang, some 13.8 billion years ago (give or take a few hundred million years).

Venus The second planet out from the sun, it has a rocky core, just as Earth does. However, Venus lost most of its water long ago. The sun's ultraviolet radiation broke apart those water molecules, allowing their hydrogen atoms to escape into space. Volcanoes on the planet's surface spewed high levels of carbon dioxide, which built up in the planet's atmosphere. Today the air pressure at the planet's surface is 100 times greater than on Earth, and the atmosphere now keeps the surface of Venus a brutal 460° Celsius (860° Fahrenheit).

zirconium A metallic element that is often used in structures needed to withstand high temperatures and radiation (such as nuclear reactors).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The story of our moon's origin does not add up. Most scientists think that that the moon formed in the earliest days of our solar system. That would have been back around 4.5 billion years ago. At that time, some scientists suspect, a Mars-sized rocky object - what they call a protoplanet - smacked into the young Earth.

# data[].attributes.body
Take an interactive tour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Solar System Scope is an incredibly accurate solar system tour, allowing you to explore the solar system, the night sky and outer space in real-time.

All of the objects on the tour are accurately positioned based on where they are right this very second, and the tour contains interesting facts and information about the many objects in space.

Every now and then, don't you wish you could just pack your bags and jet off on an exciting, awe-inspiring journey across our breathtaking solar system? Ever wondered what it'd be like to skim past the gas giants or marvel at the icy rings of Saturn up close? Well, while Elon Musk is still working on making that a reality, I'll be your virtual guide on a one-of-a-kind solar system tour - an enlightening adventure, without the risk of being lost in space!

Our journey starts right here, on our very own life-logged planet, Earth. As we embark on this space voyage, we'll traverse through the neighboring rocky planets, glide past the incredible asteroid belt, and sweep across the majestic giants, their icy rings and numerous satellites. Towards the end, we'll be gracefully riding the gravitational waves, leaving the outer edges of our solar system, where you'll get a rare glimpse of the enigmatic region populated by icy objects known as the Kuiper Belt.

But before we start our engines and head for the inky vastness of space, it's important to remember that although space explorations have given us a fair idea about these celestial bodies, there's still an ocean of mysteries waiting to be unfolded. The real beauty of our cosmic neighborhood lies in its sheer vastness, diversity and the endless scope of discovery that it harbors. From the scorching heat of Mercury to the frigid reaches Pluto and beyond, brace yourself for an out-of-this-world experience!

The Exciting Experience of a Solar System Tour

Imagine the prospect of a real-life solar system tour. It's akin to a child's joy on their first trip to a theme park. A hands-on space exploration that goes beyond the textbooks, casting a mesmerizing spell on minds open to the wonders of the universe.

Propelling past Earth's atmosphere, you'd first mark a date with our closest celestial neighbor-the Moon. The Apollo astronauts traversed its dusty plains more than five decades ago. Yet for us, it would still be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Next on the itinerary is our scorched twin, Venus. Here's a fun fact, Venus is the only planet in our solar system that spins opposite to Earth.

Then we arrive at the pièce de résistance: our bloodline, the Sun. During the visit, you could learn more about its billion-year lifespan and its constant solar storms. The solar system tour would not be complete without a stopover at Mars. Known as the Red Planet, it's been the subject of numerous space missions, most notably the Mars Rover mission seeking evidence of life.

Here's a quick tabular overview:

The Moon

Closest celestial neighbor, part of Apollo mission

Venus

Spins opposite to Earth, Earth's scorched twin

Sun

Billion-year lifespan, constant solar storms

Mars

Red Planet, subject of Mars Rover mission

From the asteroid belt to Jupiter's turbulent storms, every celestial body sits ready to unfold its story. With the tour continuing to the outer reaches of the universe, you'd experience the icy solitude of the outer planets like Neptune and Uranus.

However, we shouldn't forget about an often overlooked, yet significant part of our solar system. Those are the comets and asteroids, remnants from the formation of our system almost 4.6 billion years ago.

Being part of a solar system tour, you wouldn't just be observing the cosmos. Instead, you'd immerse yourself in a cosmic ocean, each wave presenting a new revelation about the universe. It's not merely an experience; it's the chance to physically connect with the vast expanse of space that usually only feels a speck away in the night sky. This would indeed be a ticket to the greatest show in the cosmos.

Traveling through the Solar System: What to Expect

Imagine blasting off into the cosmos on a spaceship designed for a thrilling expedition! As we set off on our solar system tour, the things we'll perceive are extraordinarily vast and stunningly diverse. This voyage will give us a newfound respect for the majesty of the cosmic neighborhood we inhabit.

Our first stop will be Mercury, the closest planet to the sun. It's a small, bare, and intensely heated planet. We shouldn't forget the sunscreen as daytime temperatures can soar up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit!

Next, we'll swing by Venus - the hot, hurricane-ridden planet awaits us with an unbelievably corrosive atmosphere. It's interesting to note that Venus rotates in the opposite direction to most planets, including Earth.

Continuing our journey, we'll visit Mars. Mars has the tallest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, three times the height of Mount Everest. And don't forget about the giant canyon, Valles Marineris, which would stretch from New York to Los Angeles if it was on Earth!

Yet, our extraordinary adventure won't be all about planets. We'll have a chance to marvel at the Asteroid Belt, a ring composed of millions of rocky bodies. This celestial obstacle course lies between Mars and Jupiter.

Of course, we'll also encounter the majestic giants of our solar system. The gas giants, Saturn and Jupiter, as well as the icy giants, Uranus and Neptune, will present captivating sights. We'll see Jupiter's Great Red Spot, an anticyclonic storm larger than Earth, and Saturn's intricate ring system. Uranus and Neptune, on the other hand, will dazzle us with their stunning cool-blue hues.

Admittedly, going further to behold the beauty of Pluto, once a planet, now a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, caps off this unique expedition. The journey end will leave us with an understanding of the infinite yet harmonious chaos that forms our solar system.

So buckle up, folks. The adventure through our heavenly bodies is par for the cosmic course. Our solar system, with its varied and breathtaking celestial bodies, offers a journey like no other. It's going to be a wild ride! Just remember, despite the vastness of space, we're never too far away from our home planet, Earth.

Conclusion: Reflecting on Our Intergalactic Journey

Wraping up, we've journeyed past planets and stars, across cosmic fields, and brushed alongside cosmic neighbors throughout our solar system tour. Isn't it just incredible that we live in such an expansive universe that holds so many unseen wonders?

Throughout our intergalactic expedition, we'll forever remember the unique characteristics of each celestial body. Let's just take a quick review again:

Mercury, with its sweltering days and frigid nights,

Venus, stunningly bright yet shrouded in clouds,

Mars, our red neighbor that pique our curiosity about extraterrestrial life,

Jupiter's giant gas storms,

Saturn's enchanting rings,

Uranus and Neptune's icy allure,

And let's not forget about our little cosmic sibling, the dwarf planet Pluto.

Something important stood out during our journey, invoking a sense of interconnectivity. Each exists in symbiosis, drawing and relying upon the sun's energy. Just like how everything on Earth is connected, so are we connected to our cosmic counterparts.

So, what's the takeaway? Should we plan to pack our bags and ship off to Mars? I'll leave that up to you. What I will stress, though, is the importance of space exploration. It's not just a testament to human curiosity, it's a driver of scientific breakthroughs and a reminder of the vast unexplored universe that lies ahead of us.

It might seem frightening, or perhaps intriguing. Yet isn't that the essence of exploration? Stepping into the unknown, learning new things, using that newfound knowledge to improve and innovate. And in doing so, perhaps we'll find more about ourselves along the way.

To sum it up, our universe offers infinite mysteries and wonders for us to discover. As we move forward, let's keep looking up and fueling our curiosity. Remember, no question is a bad question and our solar system tour just has begun. As we continue to explore the stars, who knows what we'll uncover? The only thing for sure is that the stars await, ready to share their secrets with us.

Due to errors in the way the solar system model works embedded on this page, we now link directly to Solar System Scope.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Interactive Solar System Tour | 3D Model of the Solar System

# data[].attributes.body
Sing along!