Mercury

In Roman mythology Mercury is the god of commerce, travel and theft. Mercury is also known as Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, in Greek mythology. The planet probably received this name because it moves so quickly across the sky.

Venus

Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty. The planet is probably so named because it is the brightest of the planets known to the ancients.

Venus is the second planet from the Sun, and the sixth largest of all the planets. Venus’ hot temperature is due to what we call “the Greenhouse Effect.”

Earth

Earth is the only planet whose English name does not derive from Greek or Roman mythology. Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the fifth largest of the planets.

Mars

Mars is the god of War. In Greek mythology, he is known as Ares. The planet probably got this name due to its red color; Mars is sometimes referred to as the “Red Planet.” The name of the month March derives from Mars.

Jupiter

Jupiter was the King of the Roman Gods. To the ancient Greeks, he was known as Zeus, ruler of the Greek Gods and Mount Olympus.

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and by far the largest of all planets. Jupiter is more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined — It’s 318 times bigger than the Earth.

Saturn

In Roman mythology, Saturn is the god of agriculture. Saturn is the root of the English word “Saturday.”

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun, and the second largest of the planets.

Uranus

Uranus is the ancient Greek God of the Heavens — the earliest supreme god. He was the father of Cronus (also known as Saturn in Roman mythology).

Neptune

In Roman mythology Neptune was the god of the Sea. The planet was probably named after the sea gods because of its deep blue color.