Major Locations and Objects of Our Solar System

Object or Location | Description | |
---|---|---|
Sol | x | Our sun and central star |
Inner Planets | Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars | |
Mercury | x | The 1st planet from the Sun. The smallest planet and pitted with impact craters and the remains of ancient lava flows |
Venus | x | The 2nd planet from the Sun. The hottest planet (400°C, 752°F) due to greenhouse gases and extreme volcanic activity |
Earth | x | Our own pale blue dot and 3rd planet from the Sun |
The Moon | x | A natural satellite and moon of Earth |
Near Earth Asteroid | Any asteroid that crosses or nears Earth's orbit | |
Mars | x | The 4th planet from the Sun. It's soil is red from iron oxide and it once had geological activity |
Deimos | A captured natural satellite or asteroid orbiting Mars | |
Phobos | A captured natural satellite or asteroid orbiting Mars | |
Main Asteroid Belt | x | A ring of 1.1 to 1.9 million asteroids encircling the sun between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars |
Kirkwood Gaps | Gaps in the Main Asteroid Belt | |
Ceres | One of the 4 largest asteroids of the Main Asteroid Belt | |
Vesta | One of the 4 largest asteroids of the Main Asteroid Belt | |
Pallas | One of the 4 largest asteroids of the Main Asteroid Belt | |
Hygiea | One of the 4 largest asteroids of the Main Asteroid Belt | |
Outer Planets | Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune | |
Jupiter | x | The 5th planet from the Sun and a gas giant. It has 80 known moons and natural satellites |
Galilean Moons | The four largest moons of Jupiter: Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa | |
Ganymede | x | One of the 4 largest moons of Jupiter |
Callisto | One of the 4 largest moons of Jupiter | |
Io | One of the 4 largest moons of Jupiter | |
Europa | One of the 4 largest moons of Jupiter | |
Trojans | x | A collection of asteroids at Jupiters Lagrange Points. Those at L4 are named after Greek heroes, while those at L5 are named after heroes of Troy, with two exceptions. |
624 Hektor | The largest trojan asteroid and only asteroid named after a Greek hero at Jupiter's 'Trojan Camp' L5 Lagrange Point | |
617 Patroclus | A trojan asteroid and only asteroid named after a hero of Troy at Jupiter's 'Greek Camp' L4 Lagrange Point | |
911 Agamemnon | A trojan asteroid and member of the Greek camp at Jupiter's L4 Lagrange point | |
588 Achilles | A trojan asteroid and member of the Greek camp at Jupiter's L4 Lagrange point | |
3451 Mentor | A trojan asteroid and member of the Trojan camp at Jupiter's L5 Lagrange point | |
3317 Paris | A trojan asteroid and member of the Trojan camp at Jupiter's L5 Lagrange point | |
1867 Deiphobus | A trojan asteroid and member of the Trojan camp at Jupiter's L5 Lagrange point | |
Trojan Camp | A group of asteroids at Jupiter's L5 Lagrange point all named after heroes of Troy with the exception of the asteroid 'Hektor' | |
Greek Camp | A group of asteroids at Jupiter's L4 Lagrange point all named after heroes of Greece with the exception of the asteroid 'Patroclus' | |
Saturn | x | The 6th planet from the Sun and a gas giant. It is characterized its' extensive ring system, a collection of small ice and rock particles. It has 83 confirmed satellites |
Titan | x | A moon of Saturn that is larger than Mercury |
Enceladus | An icy moon of Saturn | |
Uranus | x | The 7th planet from the Sun and the coldest. It has 27 known moons and natural satellites |
Titania | x | A moon of Uranus |
Oberon | A moon of Uranus | |
Umbriel | A moon of Uranus | |
Ariel | A moon of Uranus | |
Miranda | A moon of Uranus | |
Neptune | x | The 8th and farthest planet from the Sun. It has 14 known moons and natural satellites |
Triton | x | A moon of Neptune |
Kuiper Belt | x | A ring of debris, mostly ice and small rocks, orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune |
Pluto | x | A dwarf planet and largest object in the Kuiper Belt |
Charon | The largest moon of Pluto | |
Styx | A moon of Pluto | |
Nix | A moon of Pluto | |
Makemake | x | A dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt |
Haumea | x | A dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt |
Hi'iaka | A moon of Haumea | |
Namaka | A moon of Haumea | |
Quaoar | x | A dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt |
Weywot | A moon of Quaoar | |
Orcus | x | A dwarf planet located in the Kuiper Belt |
Vanth | A moon of Orcus | |
Scattered Disc | x | A collection of objects extending past the Kuiper Belt and somehwat overlapping it |
Eris | x | A dwarf planet of the Scattered Disc. It is the largest dwarf planet, 25% more massive than pluto and debates have been had over whether Eris is in fact a true planet |
Dysnomia | A moon of Eris | |
Gonggong | x | A dwarf planet of the Scattered Disc |
Xiangliu | A moon of Gonggong | |
Edge of the Heliosphere | x | Where the solar wind collides with the interstellar medium resulting in termination shock |
