5 closest planets to Sun captured by NASA

There are 8 planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Naptune.

The solar system formed about 4.6 billion years ago from a cloud of interstellar gas and dust. The planets, asteroids, and comets orbit the sun in elliptical paths. 

Here are 5 closest planets to the Sun.

Mercury:  The smallest and innermost planet in our solar system. It's a rocky, cratered world with a thin atmosphere.

Venus:  Often called Earth's "twin" due to its similar size and mass, Venus has a thick, toxic atmosphere and a scorching hot surface.

Earth:  Our home planet, a vibrant world with liquid water, a diverse atmosphere, and life.

Mars:  The "Red Planet" is a cold, desert world with a thin atmosphere. It's a prime target for exploration due to the possibility of past or present life.

 Jupiter:  The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter is a gas giant with a swirling atmosphere of colorful clouds.

Credit: NASA