Solar System Temperatures (2024)

FAQs

Solar System Temperatures? ›

The baseline temperature of outer space is 2.7 kelvins — minus 454.81 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 270.45 degrees Celsius — meaning it is barely above absolute zero, the point at which molecular motion stops. But this temperature is not constant throughout the solar system.

The baseline temperature of outer space is 2.7 kelvins — minus 454.81 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 270.45 degrees Celsius — meaning it is barely above absolute zero, the point at which molecular motion stops. But this temperature is not constant throughout the solar system.

Uranus boasts the lowest recorded planetary temperature in our solar system: about minus 370 degrees, according to University College London. Despite being further from the sun than Uranus, however, Neptune's mean temperature is lower, according to NASA.

The correct answer is Venus. Planetary surface temperatures tend to get colder the farther a planet is from the Sun. Venus is the exception, as its proximity to the Sun and dense atmosphere make it our solar system's hottest planet.

Because of this, Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system. The surface of Venus is approximately 465°C! Fourth from the Sun, after Earth, is Mars.

In its core, Jupiter is certainly hotter than the surface of the Sun. The Earth's core is as hot or hotter than the surface of the Sun. But the core of the Sun is at millions of degrees K and nothing else in the Solar System is that hot.

The hottest objects in the universe are believed to be the cores of stars, particularly during their final stages of life. The core of a massive star during its supernova phase can reach temperatures of around 100 billion Kelvin (100 billion degrees Celsius, or 180 billion degrees Fahrenheit).

Uranus holds the record for the coldest temperature ever measured in the Solar System: a very chilly -224℃. The temperature on Neptune is still very cold, of course – usually around -214℃ – but Uranus beats that. The reason why Uranus is so cold is nothing to do with its distance from the Sun.

Mars may look hot, but don't let its color fool you -- Mars is actually pretty cold! In orbit, Mars is about 50 million miles farther away from the Sun than Earth. That means it gets a lot less light and heat to keep it warm. Mars also has a hard time holding onto the heat it does get.

What is Earth's twin planet? ›

Venus and Earth are sometimes called twins because they're pretty much about the same size. Venus is almost as big as Earth. They also formed in the same inner part of the solar system. Venus is in fact our closest neighbor to Earth.

Earth is the only planet known to support life.

Caltech researchers have found mathematical evidence suggesting there may be a "Planet X" deep in the solar system. This hypothetical Neptune-sized planet orbits our Sun in a highly elongated orbit far beyond Pluto.

Solar System Temperatures: Mean Temperatures on Each Planet

Mercury: 333°F (167°C) Venus: 867°F (464°C) Earth: 59°F (15°C) Mars: Minus 85°F (-65°C)

Spacesuit insulation technologies protect the astronaut from extreme high and low temperatures of the space environment. However, the same insulation technology also works to keep heat released by the astronaut's body inside the suit. Imagine walking around in summer wearing a plastic bag.

Far outside our solar system and out past the distant reaches of our galaxy—in the vast nothingness of space—the distance between gas and dust particles grows, limiting their ability to transfer heat. Temperatures in these vacuous regions can plummet to about -455 degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 kelvin). Are you shivering yet?

Outer space has a baseline temperature of 2.7 Kelvin, minus 453.8 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 270.45 degrees Celsius, according to LiveScience. However, this temperature is not consistent throughout the solar system.