The solar system is composed of the Sun, eight planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and numerous other smaller objects. The Sun, a star, dominates the system, with its gravity holding all other objects in orbit.

The eight planets, in order from the Sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Beyond the planets are dwarf planets like Pluto, and vast regions like the asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt, which are home to asteroids and icy bodies respectively. Comets, often described as "dirty snowballs," are also part of the solar system, with their tails becoming visible when they pass close to the Sun.

Key Components of the Solar System:

The Sun:

The central star, providing light and heat, and its gravity governs the orbits of all other objects.

Planets:

Eight large celestial bodies that orbit the Sun, categorized as inner (rocky) and outer (gaseous) planets.

Dwarf Planets:

Smaller celestial bodies, like Pluto, that orbit the Sun but haven't cleared their orbital paths of other debris.

Asteroids:

Rocky remnants from the early solar system, most concentrated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Comets:

Icy bodies that develop a tail of gas and dust when they approach the Sun.

Moons:

Natural satellites that orbit planets.

Kuiper Belt:

A region beyond Neptune, containing icy bodies and dwarf planets.

Oort Cloud:

A hypothetical cloud of icy objects far beyond the Kuiper Belt, thought to be the origin of long-period comets.

Orbital Paths:

All planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets orbit the Sun in elliptical paths, with the Sun at one focus.
The speed of an object's orbit depends on its distance from the Sun.
Moons orbit planets, not directly around the Sun.

Other Notable Features:

The solar system is mostly empty space, with vast distances between objects.
The solar system is just a small part of the Milky Way galaxy, which contains billions of stars.
Astronomers divide the solar system into regions, including the inner solar system (Mercury to Mars and the asteroid belt) and the outer solar system (Jupiter and beyond).