- The Sun is a star at the center of our solar system, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium.
- Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and has the shortest orbital period at 88 Earth days.
- Venus is the second planet from the Sun with an orbital period of 224 Earth days.
- Earth is the third planet from the Sun, taking 365 days to complete one orbit, which defines one Earth year.
- Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, requiring 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun.
- Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, taking 11.8 Earth years to complete one orbit.
- Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun, with an orbital period of 29.6 Earth years.
- Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun, taking 84.3 Earth years to orbit.
- Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun, requiring 165 Earth years to complete one orbit.
- The farther a planet is from the Sun, the longer its orbital period due to the greater distance it must travel and the weaker gravitational pull from the Sun.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of solar system worksheet 5th grade.
