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| Science | Astronomy | Planets (2) | Planets | Dwarf Planets | Satellites (Moons) |
This page lists further characteristics of the planets and other major bodies of the Solar System. For more basic details (size, orbit etc.), see Planets (1). For anything else, see Solar System.
... in order of the radius of their orbits around the Sun – in other words, their distances from the Sun.
| Name | Atmosphere | Surface | Structure |
| Mercury | Minute traces of argon & helium | Silicate rock (lava flows) | Iron core, diameter approx. 75% of the whole (2,250 miles) |
| Venus | CO2 (pressure 90 times Earth’s) | Silicate rock | Similar to Earth (core / mantle / crust) |
| Earth | 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen | Silicate rock | Iron/nickel core, diameter 1,600 miles (approx. 25% of the whole) |
| Mars | 95% CO2 (pressure <1% Earth’s) | Eroded lava plain, polar ice caps | Similar to Earth. Metallic core 50% of total diameter; crust 22 miles thick |
| Jupiter | Ammonia crystals | Hydrogen and helium | Rocky core larger than Earth |
| Saturn | Frozen ammonia | Liquid hydrogen | Small core of rock and iron |
| Uranus | Hydrogen and helium | 83% hydrogen, 15% helium, 2% methane | Rock, ice, 15% hydrogen and some helium – evenly distributed throughout |
| Neptune | Methane (CH4) | Hydrogen, helium, methane | Similar to Uranus; possibly a rocky core |
... in order of discovery.
| Name | Atmosphere | Surface | Structure |
| Ceres | Water vapour? | Water ice | Rocky core; mantle of water ice (60 to 120km – 12 to 25% of the whole) |
| Pluto | Small amount of methane | Rock and ice (frozen methane) | Probably about 70% rock and 30% water ice |
| Eris | Unknown (probably none) | Methane ice | Methane ice? |
| Sedna | None | Unknown | Rock and ice (possibly) |
| Makemake | Methane, possibly nitrogen | Solid methane, ethane, possibly nitrogen | Unknown |
| Haumea | Probably none | Water ice | Unknown |
This section lists the ten most significant satellites or moons in the Solar System. (That is, the ones you're most likely to get asked about in a quiz.) For which satellite belongs to which planet, see the Planets table above. But for the record: Titan belongs to Saturn, and the other four biggest ones (other than The Moon) belong to Jupiter; Triton belongs to Neptune, Charon belongs to Pluto, and Phobos and Deimos both belong to Mars.
| Name | Surface | Structure |
| Ganymede | Tectonic – similar to Earth | Small iron core; silicate rock and water ice; ice crust |
| Titan | Unknown | Probably about 50% rock and 50% ice – more rocky in the centre |
Titan is the only satellite that has an atmosphere. It's about 95% nitrogen and has a pressure of about 1.5 bar – in other words, half as much again as Earth's atmosphere.
| Callisto | Icy crust with many craters | Probably about 50% rock and 50% ice – more rocky in the centre |
| Io | The most volcanically active body in the SS | Iron core approx 50% of the total diameter. Silicate rock |
| The Moon | The crust is composed of several primary elements | Solid rock, low metal content, crust about 42 miles thick |
| Europa | Frozen ice crust | Silicate rock, outer layer of water. Possible a small iron core |
| Triton | Water ice | 30% rock, 70% ice (probably) |
| Charon | Rock and ice | Carbon–rich rock, and ice |
| Phobos | Rock and ice | Carbon–rich rock, and ice |
| Deimos | Southern hemisphere is frozen nitrogen and methane | Probably about 75% rock, 25% ice |
© Haydn Thompson 2017–20;