| The 9 Planets |
The nine bodies conventionally referred to as planets are often further classified in several ways:
By size:
Small planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Pluto. The small planets have diameters less than 13000 km.
Giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The giant planets have diameters greater than 48000 km.
By position relative to the Sun:
Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.
Outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
By position relative to Earth:
Inferior planets: Mercury and Venus. Closer to the Sun than Earth.
Superior planets: Mars thru Pluto. Farther from the Sun than Earth.
By history:
Classical planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Known since prehistorical times visible to the unaided eye
Modern planets: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Discovered in modern times visible only with telescopes
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