Mercury
0.39 AU · day ≈ 59 Earth days · extreme temperature swing between sunlit and night sides.
The planets in brief
Quick reference cards for the eight planets — distances, day length, and a short climate note. Updated for classroom use.
Venus
0.72 AU · dense CO₂ atmosphere · surface hotter than Mercury despite greater distance from the Sun.
Earth
1 AU · liquid water · magnetic field and ozone layer protect surface life.
Mars
1.52 AU · thin atmosphere · polar ice and evidence of ancient river valleys.
Jupiter
5.2 AU · gas giant · Great Red Spot is a centuries-old storm system.
Saturn
9.5 AU · iconic ring system · lowest average density of the major planets.
Educational material. No account required. Sources summarized from public NASA fact sheets.