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Last update: October 2, 2025

The largest objects in the solar system

The largest objects in the solar system
Ganymede is the largest natural satellite of Jupiter and also the largest natural satellite in the solar system. With a diameter of about 5262 kilometers it is the largest object after the Sun and the planets. It was discovered by Galileo in 1610 and is named after the Greek mythological character Ganymede, who was a handsome young man abducted by Zeus to become the divine cup of Olympus.

Table of solar system objects classified by size

The solar system is the name given to the planetary system made up of the Sun and the celestial objects orbiting around it. Our solar system has only one star, the Sun. However astronomers have observed that multiple solar systems, with two, three or more stars, are numerous. Without competition, the Sun has become gigantic, it has captured 99.86% of the total mass of dust and gas from the original nebula. Jupiter, the largest planet in the system, captured 71% of the remainder. The other planets have shared the residue of this gravitational evolution.

Definition of planet

“A planet is a celestial body which is in orbit around the Sun, which has sufficient mass for its gravity to overcome the cohesive forces of the solid body and maintain it in hydrostatic equilibrium (spherical shape), and which has eliminated any body moving in a near orbit”.

This definition was approved on August 24, 2006, during the 26th General Assembly of the UAI by a show of hands of 400 scientists after ten days of discussions.

Objects Characteristic Average diameter Ratio/Earth
       
Sun Star 1 392 000 km 109.125
Jupiter Planet 142 984 km 11.208
Saturn Planet 120 536 km 9.449
Uranus Planet 51 118 km 4.007
Neptune Planet 49 528 km 3.882
Earth Planet 12 756 km 1
Venus Planet 12 102 km 0.949
Mars Planet 6 796 km 0.532
Ganymede Moon of Jupiter 5 268 km 0.413
Titan Moon of Saturn 5 152 km 0.404
Mercury Planet 4 880 km 0.382
Callisto Moon of Saturn 4 820 km 0.378
Io Moon of Jupiter 3 660 km 0.286
Moon Moon of Earth 3 474 km 0.273
Europa Moon of Jupiter 3 120 km 0.245
Triton Moon of Neptune 2 706 km 0.212
Eris Dwarf planet 2 326 km 0.364
Pluton Dwarf planet 2 306 km 0.187
Makemake Dwarf planet ≈ 1 600 km 0.250
Titania Moon of Uranus 1 577 km 0.123
Rhea Moon of Saturn 1 528 km 0.119
Oberon Moon of Uranus 1 523 km 0.119
Japet Moon of Saturn 1 469 km 0.115
Charon Dwarf planet 1 206 km 0.095
Umbriel Moon of Uranus 1 169 km 0.092
Ariel Moon of Uranus 1 158 km 0.090
Dione Moon of Saturn 1 123 km 0.088
Tethys Moon of Saturn 1 062 km 0.083
Ceres Dwarf planet 974 km 0.076
Vesta Asteroid ≈ 525 km 0.041
Enceladus Moon of Saturn ≈ 504 km 0.039
Miranda Moon of Uranus ≈ 471 km 0.036
Proteus Moon of Neptune ≈ 420 km 0.033
Mimas Moon of Saturn ≈ 396 km 0.031
Hyperion Moon of Saturn ≈ 270 km 0.021
Phoebe Moon of Saturn ≈ 212 km 0.017
Janus Moon of Saturn ≈ 180 km 0.014
Amalthea Moon of Jupiter ≈ 167 km 0.013
Epimetheus Moon of Jupiter ≈ 167 km 0.013
Prometheus Moon of Neptune ≈ 116 km 0.009

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