Planetary facts

By: Aakriti Gupta

 

Our solar system is like a big family and each planet is unique showcasing exceptional features that describe them. In this article, let us look at some of the less known planetary facts about the solar system: 

• Mercury and Venus are unique in our solar system for not having any moons, which can be considered a surprise, especially when some planets like Saturn boast an impressive count of over 80 moons.
• Despite being one of the hottest planets in our solar system due to its proximity to the Sun, ice has been discovered on Mercury’s surface in permanently shadowed craters, where no sunlight reaches.
• Neptune, the distant ice giant, is known for its extreme weather. It experiences supersonic winds that flow at speeds of more than 1,100 miles per hour, a velocity greater than the speed of sound on Earth at sea level.
• The planet Mars, often referred to as the “Red Planet,” takes its name from the Roman God of War, known to the ancient Greeks as Ares.
• Saturn is a moon-rich planet, boasting around 80 moons and numerous smaller moonlets. Among them, the largest moon of Saturn is Titan, which holds the distinction of being the second-largest moon in the solar system, surpassed only by Jupiter’s Ganymede.