Outline of the Solar System

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Solar System:

Solar System – gravitationally bound system comprising the Sun and the objects that orbit it, either directly or indirectly. Of those objects that orbit the Sun directly, the largest eight are the planets (including Earth), with the remainder being significantly smaller objects, such as dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies. Of the objects that orbit the Sun indirectly, the moons, two are larger than the smallest planet, Mercury.

Regions and celestial objects of the Solar System

Planets and declared dwarf planets of the Solar System. Sizes are to scale. Distances from the Sun are not to scale.

• Sun
• Interplanetary medium
• Inner Solar System
  • Inner planets
    • Mercury
    • Venus
    • Earth
    • Mars
  • Asteroid belt
    • Ceres
    • Asteroid groups
• Outer Solar System
  • Outer planets
    • Jupiter
    • Saturn
    • Uranus
    • Neptune
  • Centaurs
• Comets
• Trans-Neptunian region
  • Kuiper belt
    • Pluto
      • Charon
    • Haumea
    • Makemake
  • Scattered disc
    • Eris
• Farthest regions
  • Heliopause
  • Sedna
  • Oort cloud
  • Boundaries

Location of the Solar System

• Milky Way –
  • Orion–Cygnus Arm –
    • Local Interstellar Cloud – immediate galactic neighborhood of the Solar System.
      • Alpha Centauri – star system nearest to the Solar System, at about 4.4 light years away.
      • Solar System – star system where the Earth is located.
        • Earth – the only planet known to have life, including intelligent life, including humans.

Structure and composition of the Solar System

• Interplanetary space
• Physical characteristics of the Sun
  • Structure of the Sun
• Physical characteristics of Mercury
  • Structure of Mercury
  • Geology of Mercury
• Physical characteristics of Venus
  • Structure of Venus
  • Atmosphere of Venus
  • Geology of Venus
    • Volcanology of Venus
• Physical characteristics of the Earth
  • Figure of the Earth
  • Structure of the Earth
  • Earth's magnetic field
  • Atmosphere of Earth
  • Geology of Earth
    • Lithosphere of Earth
      • Plate tectonics
  • Hydrosphere of Earth
    • Water distribution on Earth
• Physical characteristics of Mars
  • Structure of Mars
  • Atmosphere of Mars
  • Geology of Mars
  • Geography of Mars
  • Water on Mars
• Physical characteristics of Jupiter
  • Structure of Jupiter
  • Rings of Jupiter
  • Atmosphere of Jupiter
• Physical characteristics of Saturn
  • Structure of Saturn
  • Rings of Saturn
  • Atmosphere of Saturn
• Physical characteristics of Uranus
  • Structure of Uranus
  • Rings of Uranus
  • Atmosphere of Uranus
• Physical characteristics of Neptune
  • Structure of Neptune
  • Rings of Neptune
  • Atmosphere of Neptune

History of the Solar System

History of the Solar System

Discovery and exploration of the Solar System

Discovery and exploration of the Solar System –

• Timeline of Solar System exploration
• Development of hypotheses
  • Geocentric model –
  • Heliocentrism –
• Exploration by celestial body
  • Exploration of Mercury
  • Observations and explorations of Venus
  • Exploration of the Moon
  • Exploration of Mars
  • Exploration of Ceres
  • Exploration of Jupiter
  • Exploration of Saturn
  • Exploration of Uranus
  • Exploration of Neptune
  • Exploration of Pluto
• Solar system models

Formation and evolution of the Solar System

Formation and evolution of the Solar System –

• Nebular hypothesis
• Terrestrial planets
  • Iron planets
    • Mercury
  • Silicate planets
    • Geodynamics of Venus
    • History of Earth
      • Formation of Earth
    • Geological history of Mars
• Giant planets
  • Gas giants
    • Jupiter
    • Saturn
  • Ice giants
    • Uranus
    • Neptune

See also

• Outline of astronomy
• Outline of space exploration
• HIP 11915 (a solar analog whose planetary system contains a Jupiter analog)
• Lists of geological features of the Solar System
• List of gravitationally rounded objects of the Solar System
• List of Solar System extremes
• Planetary mnemonic
• Solar System in fiction

External links

• dmoz page for Solar System
• Origin of the Solar System (outline)
  • A Cosmic History of the Solar System
• A Tediously Accurate Map of the Solar System (web based scroll map scaled to the Moon being 1 pixel)
• NASA/JPL Solar System main page
  • NASA's Solar System Simulator
  • Solar System Profile by NASA's Solar System Exploration