The Solar System

An article about the Solar System for Key Stage 2 level 4 - 5

The Solar System is made up of the Sun orbited by eight planets and a dwarf planet called Pluto. We can see the planets because each planet reflects light from the Sun. Between Mars and Jupiter there is a band of rock debris commonly called Asteroids. These Asteroids vary in size with some of them reaching 500 kilometres or more in diameter.

Something to help you remember the order of the planets

The following verse will help you to remember the position of a planets orbit around the Sun. The first letter of each word represents the first letter of a planet. Many vile earthlings munch jam sandwiches under newspaper piles.

The seasons

The seasons are divisions of an Earth year. These divisions are generally based on yearly periodic changes in the Earth's weather.

The four seasons are spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The four seasons exist because of the tilt of the Earth on its axis combined with the Earth's orbit around the Sun.

Night and day

We have night and day because the Earth rotates on it's axis, which is an imaginary line passing through the North and South Poles. The Earth takes a whole day (24 hours) to make a complete turn.

The part of the Earth that faces the Sun will experience day and the part of the Earth facing away from the Sun will experience night.

Did you know?

An eclipse occurs when the Moon is in a direct line between the Sun and the Earth.

The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West.

A calendar month is approximately the time it takes for the Moon to orbit the Earth.

Activities

Download this program to help you build a scale model of the Solar System. You will be amazed at the difference in size between the Sun and the planets of the Solar System.

Test your knowledge with this quick quiz.