The sun has the following nine planets (listed in alphabetical order)....

Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, Venus

Earth Third planet from the Sun Fifth largest planet Densest major body in the solar system 71% of the Earth's surface is covered with water. Earth is the only planet on which water can exist in liquid form on the surface Atmosphere is 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, with traces of argon, carbon dioxide and water A modest magnetic field produced by electric currents in the core Has only one natural satellite, the Moon

Jupiter The fifth planet from the Sun The largest planet Mass 318 times that of earth Fourth brightest object in the sky First spacecraft to visit was Pioneer 10 in 1973 and later by Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Ulysses, and Galileo Atmosphere is 90% hydrogen, 10% helium, with traces of methane, water, ammonia Has four rings. They are faint like Saturn's but much smaller and they are dark, unlike Saturn's A huge magnetic field compared to that of earth Often the brightest star in the nighttime sky Sixteen known natural satellites

Mars Fourth planet from the Sun Seventh largest planet First spacecraft to visit Mars was Mariner 4 in 1965. Several others followed including the two Viking landers in 1976 Surface area is about the same as the land surface area of Earth Most highly varied and interesting terrain of any of the terrestrial planets Atmosphere of 95.3% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and traces of oxygen and water Average pressure on the surface is less than 1% that of Earth Permanent ice caps at both poles composed mostly of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) No global magnetic field In the nighttime sky, easily visible with the naked eye Has two natural satellites: Phobos and Deimos

Mercury Closest planet to the Sun Eigth largest planet Second densest major body in the solar system Visited by only one spacecraft, Mariner 10 Its surface is heavily cratered and very old Has regions of relatively smooth plains It has no atmosphere A magnetic field about 1% that of the Earth No known satellites Sometimes visible with binoculars or even the naked eye

Neptune Eigth planet from the Sun Fourth largest of the planets (by diameter) First and only spacecraft to visit was Voyager 2 on Aug 25, 1989 Like Uranus, Neptune has a blue color resulting from absorption of red light by methane in the atmosphere Eight known satellites Four rings: Very dark like the rings of Uranus and Jupiter Can be seen with binoculars if one knows exactly where to look

Pluto Farthest planet from the Sun Smallest of all the planets Not yet visited by any spacecraft One satellite named Charon Although little is known about the atmosphere, it probably consists primarily of nitrogen with some carbon dioxide and methane Can be seen with an amateur telescope but it is rather difficult

Saturn Sixth planet from the Sun Second largest planet First spacecraft to visit was Pioneer 11 in 1979 and later by Voyager 1 and 2 The least dense of the planets Atmosphere is 75% hydrogen, 25% helium, with traces of water, methane, and ammonia Eight known natural satellites Seven rings: Very thin and composed of thousands of small particles primarily of water ice and perhaps rocks with icy coatings Has a significant magnetic field When it is in the nighttime sky, Saturn is easily visible to the naked eye

Uranus Seventh planet from the Sun Third largest planet (by diameter) First and only spacecraft to visit was Voyager on Jan 24, 1986 Atmosphere is 83% hydrogen, 15% helium, and 2% methane Has a blue color resulting from absorption of red light by methane in the upper atmosphere On a clear night, just barely visible to the naked eye Fifteen know natural satellites Eleven rings

Venus Second planet from the Sun Sixth largest planet Brightest object in the sky except for the Sun and the Moon First visited by Mariner 2 in 1962 and since then more than twenty other spacecraft. Most of the surface consists of gently rolling plains with little relief. Mostly covered with lava flows There are no small craters since small meteors burn up in Venus's dense atmosphere before reaching the surface. No magnetic field No satellites Usually visible with the naked eye.