A fact about life on earth
Half of all living things live on 6% of the land on the planet, the rain forest. No word on how much this fact changes everyday, but it's safe to say it's an estimate.
- Home
- Fact categories
- Planet Facts
Planet Facts
Planet facts and facts about planets.
27 facts on this shelf
Creepy crawly fact about planet Earth
The world's termites outweigh the world's humans 10 to 1.
Time telling
There are 3 basic ways of telling time. a) rotational : rotation of the earth b) dynamic: motion of the moon and planets c) atomic: oscillation within atoms.
A day when heavenly bodies align
On July 1, 2015 Earth, Venus and Jupiter will be ordered on a single line.
Fun facts about venus
Venus is the second closest planet to the sun between Earth and Mercury. Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.
What did Galileo see when he looked at Saturn?
Galileo's telescope wasn't strong enough to show Saturn's rings clearly, so he thought the planet had "ears" or two large moons on either side.
How did uranium get its name?
Uranium was discovered in 1789 and named after the planet Uranus, discovered in 1781.
How did mercury get its name?
Mercury is named after the planet Mercury and the Roman god.
Which planet's moons are named after Shakespeare characters?
Most of Uranus's moons, including Miranda, Oberon, and Titania, are named after characters from Shakespeare's plays.
Is Mercury the hottest planet?
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, but Venus is hotter.
What is the smallest planet?
Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system.
What is the hottest planet?
Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, about 900°F at the surface.
Does Venus spin backward?
Venus spins backward compared with most planets, so on Venus the Sun rises in the west.
Who is Venus named after?
Venus is the only planet named after a female figure, the Roman goddess of love.
What was the first powered flight on another planet?
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter made the first powered flight on another planet, on Mars in 2021.
Can dust storms cover all of Mars?
Dust storms on Mars can cover the entire planet.
How big is Jupiter?
Jupiter is the largest planet, and more than 1,300 Earths could fit inside it.
Which planet has the shortest day?
Jupiter has the shortest day of any planet, about 10 hours.
Which planet has the strongest magnetic field?
Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field of any planet.
Which planet has the most moons?
Saturn has the most known moons of any planet.
Will Saturn's rings disappear?
Saturn's rings are slowly falling into the planet and could disappear in a few hundred million years.
What was the first planet discovered with a telescope?
Uranus was the first planet discovered with a telescope, by William Herschel in 1781.
Which planet has the coldest atmosphere?
Uranus has the coldest atmosphere of any planet, reaching about −371°F.
Which planet has the strongest winds?
Neptune has the strongest winds in the solar system, up to about 1,200 miles per hour.
What is the farthest planet from the Sun?
Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun.
When was Pluto reclassified?
The International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006.
Which state declared Pluto a planet?
Illinois passed a resolution declaring Pluto a planet in 2009.