A planet is an astronomical body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that
is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity,
is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and
has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.[a][1][2]
MercuryVenus
EarthMars
JupiterSaturn
UranusNeptune
The eight planets of the Solar System
The terrestrial planets
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
The giant planets
Jupiter and Saturn (gas giants)
Uranus and Neptune (ice giants)
Shown in order from the Sun and in true color. Sizes are not to scale.
The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, astrology, science, mythology, and religion. Several planets in the Solar System can be seen with the naked eye. These were regarded by many early cultures as divine, or as emissaries of deities. As scientific knowledge advanced, human perception of the planets changed, incorporating a number of disparate objects. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially adopted a resolution defining planets within the Sun
