It is relatively easy to spot five of the planets in the Solar System. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all visible with the naked eye.
Under ideal conditions Uranus is just barely visible to unaided viewers, but it is best to use binoculars or a telescope. You will definitely need magnification to see the eighth planet, Neptune.
Pluto lost its planet status in 2006 and is now considered to be a dwarf planet.
The discovery of hundreds of exoplanets orbiting other stars means our eight planets have plently of company in the Universe.
Photo: Illustration of the Sun and eight planets (International Astronomical Union)
Sun
The Sun's core powers the Solar System.
Mercury
The closest planet to the Sun is hard to spot.
Venus
The second planet from the Sun is a pressure cooker.
Earth
Our life-filled home is unique in the Universe (so far).
Mars
The Red Planet continues to fascinate mankind.
Jupiter
The largest planet is wracked by ancient storms.
Saturn
The ringed planet is a complex world.
Uranus
The seventh planet from the Sun orbits on its side.
Neptune
Bright blue clouds speed around the outermost planet.
BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
