Editing Solar System (section)

===Overall Structure===
[[File:The Solar System (without scale representation and extra facts).svg|thumb|Overall structure of the Solar System]]
The Solar System is held together by [[gravity]], with the [[Sun]] at the center. The Sun is so huge that it makes up more than 99.8% of all the [[mass]] in the entire Solar System. Because of its strong gravity, all the major objects, like [[planet]]s, [[Natural satellite|moon]]s, [[asteroid]]s, and [[comet]]s, orbit around the Sun. This setup is called the [[Heliocentrism|heliocentric system]], which means “Sun-centered.” The Solar System is divided into different regions, and each region has its own kinds of space objects and special features.<ref name=":15" />

Closest to the Sun are the [[terrestrial planet]]s: [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]], [[Venus]], [[Earth]], and [[Mars]]. These planets are small, rocky, and heavy, made mostly of [[rock]] and [[metal]]. This part of the Solar System is called the inner Solar System, and all the planets here are packed close together.<ref name=":1" /> Just past Mars is the [[asteroid belt]]. This is a doughnut-shaped area filled with many rocky objects. These space rocks did not come together to form a planet, mostly because Jupiter’s strong gravity kept pulling things apart. The asteroid belt is like a border zone between the inner rocky planets and the outer giant planets.<ref name=":19" />

Farther from the Sun are the [[giant planet]]s. First come [[Jupiter]] and [[Saturn]], known as [[gas giant]]s because they are made mostly of [[hydrogen]] and [[helium]].<ref name=":2" /> Then come [[Uranus]] and [[Neptune]], called [[ice giant]]s because they have more icy materials like [[water]], [[ammonia]], and [[methane]].<ref name=":3" /> These outer planets are very big, have many moons, and also have [[ring system]]s, though not all are as big as Saturn’s rings.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2024-08-13|title=A guide to rings around planets and across the Solar System|url=https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/rings-of-the-solar-system|access-date=2025-07-07|website=BBC Sky at Night Magazine|language=en}}</ref> Beyond Neptune is the [[Kuiper Belt]], a cold, flat region full of icy objects, including [[dwarf planet]]s like [[Pluto]].<ref name=":17" /><ref name=":20">{{Cite web|date=2023-07-05|title=Pluto & Dwarf Planets|url=https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/|access-date=2025-07-07|language=en-US}}</ref> There are also many tiny frozen bodies out there.<ref name=":18" /> Even farther away is something called the [[Oort cloud|Oort Cloud]]. It is a giant, round cloud of icy objects that surrounds the Solar System. Scientists think this is where long-period comets come from. It is also where the Sun’s gravity starts to fade.<ref name=":6" />

The objects in the Solar System are grouped into different categories based on how they move and what they are made of. First, there are the [[planet]]s, like [[Earth]] and [[Jupiter]]. These are big enough to control their [[orbit]]s by pulling in or pushing away other objects nearby.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2023-07-10|title=About the Planets|url=https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/planets/|access-date=2025-07-07|language=en-US}}</ref> Next are [[dwarf planet]]s, like [[Pluto]], [[Eris (dwarf planet)|Eris]], and [[Haumea (dwarf planet)|Haumea]]. These are round like planets, but they do not clear their orbits, which means other objects still share their paths around the Sun.<ref name=":20" /> Then we have [[natural satellite]]s, which are moons that orbit planets.<ref name=":16" /> Finally, there are [[Small solar system body|small solar system bodies]] like [[asteroid]]s, [[comet]]s, and [[meteoroid]]s. These are smaller chunks of rock, metal, or ice that travel through space in all kinds of orbits.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Small body {{!}} Asteroids, Comets & Meteors {{!}} Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/science/small-body|access-date=2025-07-07|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}}</ref>