Incredible close up pictures show beauty of our solar system

Our solar system is much more than planets and moons. The universe is full of uncountable galaxies, planets, stars, moons, black holes and what not. However, keeping it just to our solar system, ever wondered what our eight planets look like from up close? Here are few images of our planets’ surfaces.

Mercury

Named after Roman messenger god, Mercury is the closet planet to the Sun and also the smallest planet (after Pluto was no longer counted as a planet). The planet faces extreme temperatures ranging from -180°C to 430°C, which led to its barren and sun-scorched surface.

Venus

The second planet from the Sun and closet planet to Earth, Venus is also the hottest planet in the solar system. Venus spins in the opposite direction than most of the planets. Venus’ temperatures can raise up to 460°C and it also rain sulfuric acid there. Venus is named after Roman goddess of love and beauty.

Earth

The third planet from Sun and our home planet, Earth is the densest and the fifth largest planet. It is also the only planet in solar system to provide habitable environment. Earth is not named after any god; it simply is an English/German word meaning ‘ground’.

Mars

The second closet planet to Earth, the Red Planet is half of Earth’s size and much colder than Earth. The temperature ranges from 20°C to -153°C. Mars is known for its red color and theories about life on the planet.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet in the solar system and is 317 times more enormous than Earth. The gas giant has the most moons (more than 50 with a dozen more awaiting confirmation) than any other planet. Jupiter also has three rings around it but are very difficult to see. The planet was named after the king of ancient Roman gods.

Saturn

Saturn is unique because of the amazing rings around it made of rocks and ice. The second largest planet of the solar system, Saturn is also the second gas giant closest to sun. Saturn got its name from the Roman god of agriculture and wealth.

Uranus

The seventh planet, Uranus is the third largest one. Blue in color, Uranus is very cold and windy and also called as the ‘ice planet’. Being another gas giant, Uranus also has 13 faint rings around it and 27 moons. The planet was named Uranus after the Greek god of sky.

Neptune

The eighth planet of our solar system, Neptune is the farthest from sun and is both a gas giant and an ice giant. The planet is blue in color and is the smallest gas giant and the fourth largest planet. The planet has dark, cold and whipped supersonic winds. What’s more amazing is that Neptune takes almost 165 Earth years to orbit the sun. The planet is named for the Roman god of sea.