Our Solar System: A Swirling Disc of Celestial Objects Our solar system is one of over 500 known solar systems in the entire Milky Way galaxy. It came into existence about 4.5 billion years ago through the formation of a solar nebula, a cloud of interstellar gas and dust that collapsed to create a swirling disc of material known as the solar system. Located in the Milky Way's Orion star cluster, our solar system is home to eight planets that revolve around the sun. The Terrestrial Planets: Rocky Worlds Close to the Sun The planets in our solar system are divided into two categories based on their composition: Terrestrial and Jovian. The Terrestrial planets, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, are primarily made of rocky material. These planets have solid surfaces, no ring systems, very few or no moons, and they are relatively small in size. The smallest and closest planet to the sun is Mercury, which has the shortest orbit in the solar system, lasting about three Eart...
