Our Solar System: Key Facts (from NASA)

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Card 1. How many stars are in our solar system?
AnswerOur solar system has one star.
Card 2. What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?
AnswerThe Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with two major arms and two minor arms.
Card 3. How long does it take our solar system to complete one orbit around the galactic center?
AnswerIt takes about 230 million years to complete one orbit.
Card 4. Why is our planetary system called 'the solar system'?
AnswerIt is named after the Latin word for Sun, "solis."
Card 5. What ring of icy bodies lies past Neptune's orbit?
AnswerThe Kuiper Belt lies past Neptune's orbit.
Card 6. What is the giant spherical shell that surrounds our solar system beyond the Kuiper Belt?
AnswerIt is called the Oort Cloud.
Card 7. What is one astronomical unit (AU) defined as?
AnswerOne astronomical unit is the distance from the Sun to Earth, or about 93 million miles.
Card 8. What boundary marks the edge where the solar wind is abruptly slowed by interstellar gas pressure?
AnswerIt is called the termination shock.
Card 9. Which planets are the only ones with no moons?
AnswerMercury and Venus are the only planets with no moons.
Card 10. Which planet has a large moon named Charon that makes it wobble?
AnswerPluto has a moon named Charon.

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Card 11. When did our solar system form?
AnswerOur solar system formed about 4.6 billion years ago.
Card 12. What formed at the center of the spinning, swirling solar nebula?
AnswerThe Sun was born at the center and eventually amassed more than 99% of the available matter.
Card 13. What is the asteroid belt made of?
AnswerIt is made of bits and pieces of the early solar system that could never quite come together into a planet.
Card 14. Which planets are classified as terrestrial planets?
AnswerMercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are terrestrial planets.
Card 15. Which planets are identified as gas giants?
AnswerJupiter and Saturn are the gas giants.