Outline_of_the_Solar_System Knowpia

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Solar System:

Solar System – gravitationally bound system comprising the Sun and the objects that orbit it, either directly or indirectly. Of those objects that orbit the Sun directly, the largest eight are the planets (including Earth), with the remainder being significantly smaller objects, such as dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies. Of the objects that orbit the Sun indirectly, the moons, two are larger than the smallest planet, Mercury.

Regions and celestial objects of the Solar System edit

Planets and declared dwarf planets of the Solar System. Sizes are to scale. Distances from the Sun are not to scale.

Sun ☉
- Solar wind
Interplanetary medium
Inner Solar System
- Inner planets
  - Mercury ☿
  - Venus ♀
  - Earth 🜨
    - The Moon ☾
    - Near-Earth objects
    - Van Allen radiation belt
  - Mars ♂
    - Moons of Mars
- Asteroid belt
  - Asteroid groups
  - Asteroids
    - Ceres ⚳
    - Pallas ⚴
    - Juno ⚵
    - Vesta ⚶
    - Hygiea
    - Active asteroids
  - Kirkwood gaps
Outer Solar System
- Outer planets
  - Jupiter ♃
  - Saturn ♄
  - Uranus ⛢
    - Moons of Uranus
      - Titania
      - Oberon
      - Umbriel
      - Ariel
      - Miranda
    - Rings of Uranus
  - Neptune ♆
    - Moons of Neptune
      - Triton
    - Rings of Neptune
- Trojans
- Centaurs
Ubiquitous
- Comets ☄
- Meteoroids
- Micrometeoroids
- Cosmic dust
- Interplanetary dust cloud
Trans-Neptunian region
- Trans-Neptunian objects
- Kuiper belt
  - Pluto ♇
    - Moons of Pluto
      - Charon
  - Haumea
  - Makemake
  - Quaoar
  - Orcus
- Scattered disc
  - Eris
  - Gonggong
Farthest regions

Location of the Solar System edit

From largest to smallest structure:

Universe
Observable universe
Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex
Laniakea Supercluster
Virgo Supercluster
Local Sheet
Local Group
Milky Way subgroup
Milky Way
Orion–Cygnus Arm
Gould Belt
Local Bubble
Local Interstellar Cloud – immediate galactic neighborhood of the Solar System.
Alpha Centauri – star system nearest to the Solar System, at about 4.4 light years away
Solar System – star and planetary system where the Earth is located.
Earth – the only planet known to have life.

Structure and composition of the Solar System edit

Interplanetary space
Physical characteristics of the Sun
Physical characteristics of Mercury
Physical characteristics of Venus
Physical characteristics of the Earth
Physical characteristics of Mars
Physical characteristics of Jupiter
Physical characteristics of Saturn
Physical characteristics of Uranus
- Structure of Uranus
- Atmosphere of Uranus
Physical characteristics of Neptune

History of the Solar System edit

History of the Solar System

Discovery and exploration of the Solar System edit

Discovery and exploration of the Solar System –

Timeline of Solar System astronomy
Timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their moons
Timeline of Solar System exploration
Timeline of first images of Earth from space
Development of hypotheses
- Geocentric model –
- Heliocentrism –
- Historical models of the Solar System
- Planets beyond Neptune
- List of former planets
- List of hypothetical Solar System objects in astronomy
Space exploration – Exploration by celestial body
Solar System models

Formation and evolution of the Solar System edit

Formation and evolution of the Solar System –

Nebular hypothesis
Terrestrial planets
- Iron planets
  - Mercury
- Silicate planets
Giant planets
- Gas giants
  - Jupiter
  - Saturn
- Ice giants
  - Uranus
  - Neptune

Lists of Solar System objects and features edit

The number of currently known, or observed, objects of the Solar System are in the hundreds of thousands. Many of them are listed in the following articles:

By type edit

By physical parameters and features edit

Lists of Solar System exploring missions and spacecraft edit

External links edit

dmoz page for Solar System
Origin of the Solar System (outline)
- A Cosmic History of the Solar System
A Tediously Accurate Map of the Solar System (web based scroll map scaled to the Moon being 1 pixel)
NASA/JPL Solar System main page
- NASA's Solar System Simulator
- Solar System Profile by NASA's Solar System Exploration