There are eight planets, and they are orbiting around the Sun. Despite these planets being not the same as one another, they are divided into two categories. One category includes the four planets nearest to the Sun that is Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. These are called the Inner Planets or Terrestrial Planets. Another category also includes four planets farthest from the Sun, and that are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These are called the Outer Planets or Gas Giants. The following article explains the contrasts between the two categories of planets.

Inner Planets

Inner planets are those planets that are nearest to the Sun and incorporate the first four planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) all together of expanding separation from the Sun. Mercury is the nearest, trailed by Venus, Earth, and after that, Mars. The inner planets are comprised of rock and metal and are along these lines solid. These planets move gradually as they are thought to be massive. They have an average distance across of around 13000 km as they are little planets.

Outer Planets

Outer planets are those who are far away from the Sun and incorporate the following four planets together of expanding separation from the Sun (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). The outer planets are made up of gasses, and they are not by any means substantial. The gasses which generally make them are Hydrogen and Helium, and they have a standard diameter of around 48000 km.

Inner Planets VS Outer Planets

  • History

The inner planets were recognized by the ancient astronomers thousands of years ago. They realized that something exists in the space but did not know that those objects were planets.

Out of four outer planets, only Saturn and Jupiter were recognized as planets while the other two, including Neptune and Uranus, were discovered recently in 1846 and 1781, respectively.

  • Synonyms

The inner planets are also named as Terrestrial planets or Earth-like planets.

The outer planets are also named as Gas giants or Jovian planets.

  • Category

The inner planets include:

  • Mercury
  • Venus
  • Earth
  • Mars

The outer planets include:

  • Jupiter
  • Saturn
  • Uranus
  • Neptune

  • Size

The planets in the category of inner planets are of small size as Mercury has a width of 4,878 kilometers and becomes the smallest planet in this category. In contrast, the biggest planet of this category is Earth having 12,756 kilometers of diameter.

The planets include in outer planets are of large size as compared to the inner planets. As the smallest planet that is Neptune has a diameter of 49,532 kilometers, and the biggest planet that is Jupiter has a diameter of 142,984 kilometers.

  • Surface

It is conceivable to remain on each of the inner planets, even though you would just survive on Earth, and all of these planets have solid, silicate surfaces and nickel-iron center.

The majority of the outer planets have no solid surface and are made up of gas. They have a less liquid or solid center. It is much challenging to stay on any of the outer planets.

  • Density

The components that make the size of planets are all the more firmly stuffed together in inner planets are thick and have more density, making them a little stable.

Despite being more significant, the components that make up the outer planets are less thickly pressed together, making them very light for their size.

  • Atmosphere

The substance of the atmosphere of the inner planets differs from planet to planet. In Mercury, there is no atmosphere, even though Sodium and Helium can be recognized over the surface. In Venus, the atmosphere is generally of Carbon Dioxide with a little measure of Nitrogen. Earth’s air is, for the most part, Nitrogen with a littler measure of Oxygen and much littler measures of different gasses. Mars has a comparative part of carbon dioxide and Nitrogen as Venus, although it has a much more thin atmosphere.

In outer planets, all planets have almost the same atmosphere. The atmosphere of the outer planets comprises most of Hydrogen and Helium, with little Methane likewise being available in the atmosphere of Uranus and Neptune.

  • Temperature

The inner planets contain high temperatures because they are nearer the Sun.

The outer planets are less warmer due to having more distance from the Sun.

  • Spinning

The planets in inner planets usually spin slowly. Earth is the quickest planet for spinning; it takes 23 hours and 56 minutes to turn on its axis. Venus almost takes 243 days to turn on its pivot, turning in an inverse bearing to the next planets.

The planets in outer planets spin faster than the inner planets. Uranus spins very slow as it takes 17 hours and 14 minutes to turn on its pivot. Jupiter takes just 9 hours and 55 minutes to turn on its hub.

  • Orbit the Sun

Since inner planets are very near the Sun, the inner planets finish an orbit rapidly.

The outer planets orbit the Sun from a massive number of miles and have a much more prominent distance to cover and finish an orbit, so take any longer to do as such.

  • Moons

There are very few moons orbiting the planets. Only one moon is there which orbits the Earth, and two little moons orbit the planet called Mars.

Many moons are orbiting the outer planets—63 moons orbit Jupiter and Saturn, 27 moons orbiting Uranus, and 13 moons orbiting Neptune.

  • Rings

The inner planets contain no ring.

In contrast, the outer planets have visible rings.

  • Orbital location

The inner planets locate inside the asteroid belt.

The outer planets locate outside the asteroid belt.

Conclusion

From the above article, we come to know that inner planets are of small size, and outer planets are enormous. Inner planets are of a solid surface, but outer planets are not. Inner planets have more density as compare to outer planets. Inner planets differ in their atmospheres, but outer planets have only one similar atmosphere. Inner planets spin slowly, orbit quickly, have few moons and no rings whereas outer planets spin faster, orbit slowly, and have lots of moon and many rings around them. The inner planets locate inside the asteroid belt, while the outer planets lie outside the asteroid belt. The inner planets are warmer than the outer planets due to the distance from the Sun. As the inner planets are closer- having a warm temperature and the outer planets are farther from the Sun- having a cold temperature. Do you have more information to share related to planets?