Distances and scales

To-
scale diagram of distance between planets, with the white bar showing orbital variations. The
size of the planets is not to scale.
The astronomical unit (AU; equal to 150,000,000 km; 93,000,000 mi) is what the distance from
the Earth to the Sun would be if the planet's orbit were perfectly circular.[53] For comparison, the
radius of the Sun is 0.0047 AU (700,000 km; 400,000 mi).[54] Thus, the Sun occupies 0.00001% (1
part in 107) of the volume of a sphere with a radius the size of Earth's orbit, whereas Earth's
volume is roughly one millionth (10−6) that of the Sun. Jupiter, the largest planet, is 5.2
astronomical units (780,000,000 km; 480,000,000 mi) from the Sun and has a radius of
71,000 km (0.00047 AU; 44,000 mi), whereas the most distant planet, Neptune, is 30 AU
(4.5×109 km; 2.8×109 mi) from the Sun.[38][55]
With a few exceptions, the farther a planet or belt is from the Sun, the larger the distance
between its orbit and the orbit of the next nearest object to the Sun. For example, Venus is
approximately 0.33 AU farther out from the Sun than Mercury, whereas Saturn is 4.3 AU out from
Jupiter, and Neptune lies 10.5 AU out from Uranus. Attempts have been made to determine a
relationship between these orbital distances, like the Titius–Bode law[56] and Johannes Kepler's
model based on the Platonic solids,[57] but ongoing discoveries have invalidated these hypotheses.
[58]

Some Solar System models attempt to convey the relative scales involved in the Solar System in
human terms. Some are small in scale (and may be mechanical—called orreries)—whereas
others extend across cities or regional areas.[59] The largest such scale model, the Sweden Solar
System, uses the 110-metre (361 ft) Avicii Arena in Stockholm as its substitute Sun, and,
following the scale, Jupiter is a 7.5-metre (25-foot) sphere at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, 40 km
(25 mi) away, whereas the farthest current object, Sedna, is a 10 cm (4 in) sphere in Luleå,
912 km (567 mi) away.[60][61]
If the Sun–Neptune distance is scaled to 100 metres (330 ft), then the Sun would be about 3 cm
(1.2 in) in diameter (roughly two-thirds the diameter of a golf ball), the giant planets would be all
smaller than about 3 mm (0.12 in), and Earth's diameter along with that of the other terrestrial
planets would be smaller than a flea (0.3 mm or 0.012 in) at this scale.[62]
Comparison with extrasolar systems
Further information: Planetary habitability in the Solar System and Planetary habitability in other
star systems

A diagram depicting the habitable zone

boundaries around stars, and how the boundaries are affected by star type.
Compared to many extrasolar systems, the Solar System stands out in lacking planets interior to
the orbit of Mercury.[63][64] It is hypothesized that all planetary systems start with many close-in
planets, and that typically a sequence of their collisions causes consolidation of mass into few
larger planets, but in case of the Solar System the collisions caused their destruction and
ejection.[63][65] There is a size 'gap' between the largest terrestrial planet (Earth) and the smallest
giant planet (Neptune, 3.8 times as large as Earth); elsewhere exoplanets of intermediate size
are typical. The known Solar System lacks super-Earths, planets between one and ten times as
massive as the Earth.[63] The mass of a potentially habitable exoplanet is estimated to be 0.1–5.0
Earth masses.[66]
The orbits of Solar System planets are nearly circular. Compared to many other systems, they
have smaller orbital eccentricity.[63] Although there are attempts to explain it partly with a bias in
the radial-velocity detection method and partly with long interactions of a quite high number of
planets, the exact causes remain undetermined.[63][67] Small orbital eccentricity lead to a less
drastic range in the planets' surface temperature and more stable condition for life to develop.[68]
Between the orbit of Venus and Mars is the habitable zone, where there is just enough sunlight
(and heat) for the planetary surface to have liquid water.[69] For comparison, TRAPPIST-1 has
seven planets orbiting to the parent star at a much closer distance (0.012–0.062 AU),[70] but
because the parent star is a red dwarf with a lower luminosity than the Sun,[71] its habitable zone is
much closer and encompasses three or four planets.[72] It is theorized that the subsurface
oceans of outer Solar System moons might be habitable due to tidal heating from the parent
planets.[73]
Besides solar energy, a key characteristic of the Solar System enabling the presence of life on
Earth is the heliosphere and planetary magnetosphere. These magnetic fields partially shield the
Solar System from high-energy interstellar particles called cosmic rays. The density of cosmic
rays in the interstellar medium and the strength of the Sun's magnetic field change on very long
timescales, so the level of cosmic-ray penetration in the Solar System varies, though by how
much is unknown.[74]