Solar System

What is the Solar System?



An illustration of the Solar System


What is the Sun?





Planet Facts Posters

Do you know how many planets in our Solar System have rings? Or how many have moons? Learn some interesting facts about the planets in our Solar System with these free printable posters!



Thumbnail of the 8 Planet Facts Posters


Life on Earth

Short Intro Text: 

How are living things connected? What do they need to survive? Can we find clues in the Solar System that help us find out why there is life on Earth?

Complete this quiz to discover what makes our planet so special!





Make a Play-doh Solar System

You may know that Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System, but do you know how much larger than the Earth it is?

Find out by creating a scale model of each planet in our Solar System!

 



The 8 planets of the Solar System made out of Play-Doh


Keep a Moon Diary

Have you noticed the Moon is brighter some nights than others? And it looks like the Moon changes shape? We call these changes the phases of the Moon.



A calendar for a month that has been partially filled in to show the phase of the Moon on each day.


Interactive Orrery

An Orrery is a moving, mechanical model of the Solar System. It shows how all of the planets orbit around the Sun.



A illustration of the planets orbiting the Sun. Each planet has a clock face on it.


Make a Comet on a Stick

Comets are large balls of ice, rock and dust but you can think of them as large dirty snowballs that travel through the Solar System.



A hand holding a lolly-pop stick. A comet is attached to the end of the stick. There is a starry black background.


Make Your Own Impact Crater

Impact craters are made when a space rock (called a meteorite or asteroid) hits a rocky planet or moon. The impact makes a round hole in the surface, called a crater.



Photo of the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona


You Decide! Should We Explore Space?

Scientists are always discussing and debating their ideas. One topic that is continually up for debate is ‘Should humans explore space?’. Some people think it is important for people to visit other worlds.



An illustration of the planet Mars with an astronaut and robot on it. Above the planet, several people are having a discussion.


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