Fun Facts and Myths

A rundown of some of the most common misconceptions about the dwarf planet.

The Solar System was formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago and consists of the Sun, planets, dwarf planets and other astronomical objects bound in its orbit. The formation was cause by the collapse of a giant molecular cloud, the mass at the centre collecting to form the Sun and a flat disk of dust around it …

Solar eclipses have caused fear, inspired curiosity, and have been associated with myths, legends, and superstitions throughout history. Even today, solar eclipses are considered bad omens in many cultures.

There are 8 known planets in our solar system, indirect evidence of a 9th as of 2016, 5 major dwarf planets including Pluto, and many smaller dwarf planets.

Solar System Profile The Objects in Our Solar System There are many different types of objects found in the solar system: a star, planets, moons, dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, gas, and dust. In terms of the numbers of each of these objects, our current knowledge is as follows: 1 star (The Sun) 8 planets (Mercury, …

It's time to throw these cosmically silly myths, misconceptions, and inaccuracies down a black hole.

Here is a collection of 10 often unknown or misunderstood facts about the solar system - our sun and its family of planets. Learn more on EarthSky.