The Solar System — Interactive Diagram
Meet the eight planets in order and see how they orbit the Sun.
TL;DR: Meet the eight planets in order and see how they orbit the Sun.
Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated
The Solar System: Meet the eight planets in order and see how they orbit the Sun.
Why it matters: Knowing the planet order, the inner rocky vs outer gas giants, and that everything orbits the Sun is core space science.
The Solar System — Step by Step
- At the centre is the SUN — a giant star whose gravity holds the whole system together.
- The four INNER planets — Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars — are small and rocky, closest to the Sun.
- The four OUTER planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune — are huge gas giants, far from the Sun. Order: My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming!
Quick Notes — the Exam Crux
- The Sun is a star at the centre; everything orbits it because of gravity.
- Eight planets in order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
- Inner planets (Mercury–Mars): small, rocky, with few or no moons.
- Outer planets (Jupiter–Neptune): large gas or ice giants with many moons and rings.
- Jupiter is the largest planet; Mercury is the smallest and closest to the Sun.
- The asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter; Pluto is now classed as a dwarf planet.
Remember It (Memory Trick)
Order from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune — "My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Names." Inner 4 = rocky, outer 4 = gas/ice giants.
Real-Life Example
Mars is the "Red Planet", and India's Mangalyaan reached its orbit in 2014 — proof that the planet order and distances you learn are the very ones ISRO navigates.
Test Yourself
Name the planets in order from the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
What is the difference between the inner and outer planets?
Inner planets are small and rocky; outer planets are large gas or ice giants.
Which is the largest planet in the solar system?
Jupiter.
📖 Read the full explanation of The Solar System →
More Visual Lessons
- The Water Cycle
- States of Matter
- Life Cycle of a Butterfly
- Phases of the Moon
- The Rock Cycle
- The Greenhouse Effect
🤖 Stuck on any of these? Ask Syllab's free AI Tutor to explain step by step →