Astronomy — Two types of planets
Two types of planets
- Perhaps the most important clue we have to the origin of the solar system is the division of the planets into two categories: terrestrial (Earth-like) and Jovian (Jupiter-like).
- The terrestrial planets are small, dense, rocky worlds with less atmosphere than the Jovian planets.
- The terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, and they lie in the inner solar system.
- The Jovian planets are large, gaseous, low-density planets. The Jovian planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) lie in the outer solar system.
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