It
is often difficult to grasp just how large the planets actually are. There are
a number of ways to measure a planet, including diameter, volume, and surface
area.
Mercury is the smallest planet in our
Solar System since Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet. It has a diameter of
4,879 km, and a surface area of 17.48 x 107 km2, which is only about 11% of
Earth’s surface area. Mercury’s volume is even smaller in comparison at 6.083 x
1010 km3, which is only 5.4% the volume
of Earth.
Venus is similar in size to Earth, which earned it the title of
Earth’s twin. Venus has a diameter of 12,100 km and a surface area of 4.6
x 108 km2. These measurements are 95% and
90% of Earth’s diameter and surface area respectively. With a volume of
9.38 x 1011 km3, Venus’ volume is 86% of
Earth’s.
Earth has a diameter of 12,742 km and a
surface area of 5.1 x 108 km2. Its volume of 1.08 x 1012 km3 gives the planet the
largest volume of any of the terrestrial planets.
Mars is also a small planet, the second smallest in our Solar System.
Mars’ diameter is 6,792 km, only about 53% of Earth’s diameter. At
only 28% of Earth’s surface area, Mars has a very small surface area of
1.45 x 108 km2. Mars’ volume of 1.63 x 1011 km3 is only 15% of Earth’s
volume.
All
of the gas giants are larger in size than the four inner planets. Jupiter is
the largest planet in our Solar System. It has a diameter of 143,000 km,
which is more than 11 times the size of Earth’s diameter. The numbers only get
larger from there. Jupiter has a surface area of 6.22 x 1010 km2. That is 122 times greater than
Earth’s surface area. Jupiter’s volume of 1.43 x 1015 km3 is an incredible number.
You can fit 1321 Earths inside Jupiter.
Saturn is the second largest planet in
our Solar System. It has a diameter of 120,536 km across the equator, and a
surface area of 4.27 x 1010 km2. With a volume of 8.27 x 1014 km3, Saturn can hold 764 Earths
inside.
Uranus has a diameter of 51,118 km and
a surface area of 8.1 x 109km2. Although Uranus is much smaller
than Jupiter, it is still large. With a volume of 6.83 x 1013 km3, you could fit 63 Earths inside
the gas giant.
Neptune is slightly smaller than Uranus,
but still very large. The planet has a diameter of 49,500 km. You could fit
57.7 Earths inside Neptune, which has a volume of 6.25 x1013 km3. Neptune has a surface
area of 7.64 x 109 km2, which is 15 times Earth’s
surface area.
