Solar System Objects

The moon is that big bright ball that you see on many clear nights. :) Our moon is about 2,160 miles across and is about 250,000 miles away. Planets orbit the sun the same way that Earth does. On occasion, some of these planets get rather bright in the night sky. This is because their orbits bring them closer to the Earth.

Comets and asteroids also orbit the sun, but they are much smaller than planets. Comets are known for their tails that are created by gas and dust that are ejected when the comet approaches the sun. Asteroids are big chunks of rock or iron. Some are as big as mountains. Most of them are in safe orbits between Mars and Jupiter. Others are wandering around the inner solar system, sometimes approaching our Earth. Over the eons, many comets and asteroids have hit the Earth with devastating results. Many scientists think we are overdue for the next big hit.