Seven Wonders of the Solar System

In 1999 Astronomy Magazine proposed seven wonders of the solar system. Although there are many wonders in our local neighborhood of the sun, there is no doubt this list is a intriguing collection of astronomical marvels.

The Rings of Saturn - Of all the wonders of the solar system, none are quite as amazing as the rings of Saturn. Saturn, the second largest planet in our solar system, is not the only world with rings - Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune have some too - but Saturn's are by far the most visible and spectacular.

The Surface of the Sun - The sun is the heart of the solar system and almost all life on earth gets its energy from the radiation coming from its 10,000 degree surface.

The Asteroid Belt - The planet that never was: Sometimes finding something missing can be as intriguing as discovering something that's there.

Enceladus - A liquid ocean in the strangest place, a moon orbiting the planet Saturn, may harbor the only life in our solar system outside of the Earth.

Olympus Mons: The Mega-Volcano - In 2013 scientists announced a startling discovery: At the bottom of the Pacific Ocean they had discovered a gigantic volcano. This inactive behemoth rises 2 miles up from the ocean floor and has a base about 400 miles wide. As massive as this volcano is, however, it is only the second largest one in our solar system. That particular accolade belongs to Olympus Mons on the planet Mars.

The Great Red Spot of Jupiter - Long the most well-known feature of our solar system's biggest planet, what is this gigantic, crimson oval and is it about to disappear?

The Oceans of Earth - Of all the acknowledged worlds both in our solar system and circling distant stars, Earth is the only planet known to have liquid oceans of water on its surface. And it's probably no coincidence, either, that our world is the only planet we know of that also harbors life.

Copyright 2015 Lee Krystek. All Rights Reserved.