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Our solar system has a variety of objects which can be classified into at least five main categories: suns, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, each with their own sub-categories. This article is mainly concerned with planets and their sub-categories. According to the latest IAU definition, there are three main planetary groupings in our solar system: the terrestial or inner planets which include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars; the gaseous giants which include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; and the minor or dwarf planets located in the asteroid belts, such as Ceres, Pluto, Quaoar, and Eris. The most distant Sedna may belong to a fourth group, although it is still a little early to tell. By far the most numerous are the minor or dwarf planets located in the Kuiper belt, a trans-Neptunian zone some 30 to 50 AU from the Sun. Major bodies in this zone include Pluto, Orcus, Ixion, 2003EL61("Santa"), Quaoar, 2005FY9("Easterbunny"), and Eris, thus far.
![]() Below is a list of the well-known and potential planets of our solar systen so far with their estimated sizes and average distances from the Sun. Others will be added as they are discovered. We owe a debt of gratitude to astronomer Mike Brown and others like him for provoiding us with an extended understanding of our outer solar system.
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