A scaled model of our Solar System

The planet Mercury is named after the messenger of the Roman gods because of its fleeting nature across the sky. Find out the reason behind its incredible speed, if it is indeed the hottest planet in the Solar System, and why the smallest planet in the solar system is slowly shrinking.

SciShow Space takes you on a tour of Venus, a world with such an extreme environment that you might call it “Earth’s evil twin.” 

Considered a hostile locale for life, Venus has recently revealed secrets that could change everything. 

Humans aren't separate from nature, we're part of it. Let's make our planet proud. National Geographic Society is proud to be partnering with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for the 2016 World Conservation Congress. 

From its blood-like hue to its potential to sustain life, Mars has intrigued humankind for thousands of years. Learn how the red planet formed from gas and dust and what its polar ice caps mean for life as we know it.

We may get some pretty intense storms on Earth — but that's nothing compared to the weather on Jupiter. 

How did the rings around Saturn form? How many moons does the planet have? See stunning NASA images of the gas giant studied by Christian Huygens and Giovanni Cassini. 

Uranus is a planet beyond convention. Find out why it boasts the coldest temperatures in the solar system, what phenomena caused the unique tilt of its axis, and the curious origin of the planet's name.

Approaching Neptune you might be in for a surprise. What awaits you is blue planet which looks a lot like the Earth. But don't be fooled, Neptune is a lot more mysterious than you might think.

Pluto is one of the most mysterious and controversial celestial objects in the solar system. Find out what most mystifies scientists and stargazers about this dwarf planet.

Uranus seems like a mystery to you? That's not surprising! The planet appears as a quiet and still ice giant, but there is more going on than meets the eye.