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Science · Solar system

Planets in order

Mercury to Neptune.

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Meet the Eight Planets

Our Solar System has eight planets that orbit the Sun. Orbit means to travel around something in a circle or oval path. The planets always stay in the same order. Learning this order helps us understand our place in space. Each planet is special and different from the others.

The Order from Closest to Farthest

Starting nearest the Sun, the order is: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Neptune is the farthest away. The four planets closest to the Sun are small and rocky. The four farthest planets are giant and made mostly of gas.

A Helpful Memory Trick

Many people use a silly sentence to remember the planet order. Try this: My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Noodles. The first letter of each word matches the first letter of each planet. You can make up your own fun sentence too!

Inner and Outer Planets

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are called the inner planets. They are closer to the Sun and smaller. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are the outer planets. They are much bigger and farther from the Sun. An asteroid belt separates the inner and outer planets.

Worked examples

  1. 1. Which planet comes between Earth and Jupiter in the order?

    1. Start with the order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
    2. Find Earth in the list. It is the third planet.
    3. Find Jupiter in the list. It is the fifth planet.
    4. The planet between them is Mars, the fourth planet.

  2. 2. Name the first three planets in order from the Sun.

    1. Remember the order starts closest to the Sun.
    2. The first planet is Mercury.
    3. The second planet is Venus.
    4. The third planet is Earth. So the answer is Mercury, Venus, Earth.

  3. 3. Is Saturn closer to the Sun than Neptune?

    1. Look at the full order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
    2. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun.
    3. Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun.
    4. Yes, Saturn is closer to the Sun than Neptune.

Try it yourself

Which planet comes directly after Venus in the order from the Sun?

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