Planets are celestial bodies that orbit around stars and do not produce their own light. They are part of our solar system, along with the Sun, moons, asteroids, comets, and other celestial objects. There are eight recognized planets in our solar system, listed in order of their distance from the Sun:
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Mercury: The closest planet to the Sun and the smallest planet in our solar system. It has a rocky surface and no moons.
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Venus: The second planet from the Sun and similar in size to Earth. Venus has a thick atmosphere and a greenhouse effect that makes it the hottest planet in our solar system. It also has no moons.
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Earth: Our home planet, known for its diverse ecosystems and abundant water. Earth has one moon.
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Mars: Often called the "Red Planet" due to its reddish appearance. Mars has a thin atmosphere and is known for its polar ice caps and the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons. It has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos.
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Jupiter: The largest planet in our solar system, known for its prominent bands of clouds and the famous Great Red Spot, a giant storm. Jupiter has at least 79 moons, including four large ones called the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
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Saturn: Recognizable for its iconic ring system made up of ice particles and dust. Saturn has at least 82 moons, with its largest moon, Titan, being of particular interest due to its dense atmosphere and potential for liquid lakes.
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Uranus: The seventh planet from the Sun and characterized by its blue-green color. Uranus has a unique feature of rotating on its side compared to the other planets. It has at least 27 known moons.
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Neptune: The farthest known planet from the Sun, appearing blue due to its methane-rich atmosphere. Neptune has at least 14 moons and is known for its stormy weather, including the famous Great Dark Spot.
These planets are diverse in terms of size, composition, atmosphere, and other characteristics. Beyond our solar system, there are also numerous exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars) that have been discovered, expanding our understanding of planetary systems in the universe.
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