We can see numerous stars in a clear sky at night. The sun we see everyday is also a star and it is the nearest star to the earth. The planets revolve around the sun at different distances in different orbits. This is called solar system.

The sun is a ball of fire. It is very hot. Living organisms cannot exist on the earth in the absence of the sun.

1Mercury is the smallest and the nearest planet to the sun.

2Venus is the second planet. It is very hot. It is the brightest planet.

3Earth is the third planet and it has air and water. It supports life and we          all live here.

4Mars is the fourth planet. It is red in colour.

5Jupiter is the fifth planet. It is the largest planet in the solar system.

6Saturn is the sixth planet. There are big rings around it.

7Uranus is the seventh planet. It is made up of gases. It also has rings. It is the coldest planet.

8Neptune is the eighth planet. It is bluish green in colour and it is surrounded by clouds.

9Upto 2006, Pluto was considered as the ninth planet. Since it does not have the properties of a planet, it is now regarded as a dwarf planet.