The Sun and Planets to Scale 
1 pixel = 1000 kilometers
The apparent brightnesses of the planets cover too wide a range to depict accurately.  This picture gives an idea of their relative brightnesses due to differences in size, color, and reflectivity, but not due to distance from the Earth or Sun.  Only the largest moons and asteroids are shown.



  Equatorial       Mean      Escape  Rotation   Incl.   Visual
 Diam. (km)OblatenessMassDensityGravity(km/s)Period (days)(deg.)Albedo
Sun1,392,0000332,946.01.4127.9617.525 - 35 *
Mercury4,87800.0552745.430.384.358.6460.00.11
Venus12,10400.8150055.240.9110.4243.017177.30.65
Earth12,7561/29815.52111.20.997323.40.37
Mars6,7871/1930.1074473.940.385.01.026025.20.15
Jupiter142,8001/15317.8331.332.5459.60.4101 **3.10.52
Saturn120,0001/995.1590.701.0835.60.444026.70.47
Uranus51,2001/4514.5001.300.9121.30.71897.90.51
Neptune48,6001/4017.2041.761.1923.80.76829.60.41
Pluto2,300?0.00261.1?0.051.2?6.386794.0.5?
 
Moons  Mass relative to Earth's mass, which is 5.974 x 1024 kg.
Asteroids  Gravity and escape speed at the pole, at the visible surface.
Kuiper Belt Objects  Inclination of the equator relative to the plane of the orbit.
Comets*  The Sun's surface rotates faster at the equator than at the poles.
**  At the equator, where Jupiter's atmosphere rotates fastest.
 
The above table in plain text



  HomeTo my Space and Science home page  for more about the Solar System

    Jeff Root
    September 4, 2003