speech on the solar system

• The Solar System and its planets

The Solar System is made up of the Sun and all of the smaller objects that move around it. Apart from the Sun, the largest members of the Solar System are the eight major planets. Nearest the Sun are four fairly small, rocky planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

Beyond Mars is the asteroid belt – a region populated by millions of rocky objects. These are left-overs from the formation of the planets, 4.5 billion years ago.

On the far side of the asteroid belt are the four gas giants - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. These planets are much bigger than Earth, but very lightweight for their size. They are mostly made of hydrogen and helium.

Until recently, the furthest known planet was an icy world called Pluto. However, Pluto is dwarfed by Earth’s Moon and many astronomers think it is too small to be called a true planet.

An object named Eris, which is at least as big as Pluto, was discovered very far from the Sun in 2005. More than 1,000 icy worlds such as Eris have been discovered beyond Pluto in recent years. These are called Kuiper Belt Objects. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto and Eris must be classed as “dwarf planets”.

Even further out are the comets of the Oort Cloud. These are so far away that they are invisible in even the largest telescopes. Every so often one of these comets is disturbed and heads towards the Sun. It then becomes visible in the night sky.

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The planetary system we call home is located in an outer spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy.

Our solar system consists of our star, the Sun, and everything bound to it by gravity – the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; dwarf planets such as Pluto; dozens of moons; and millions of asteroids, comets, and meteoroids.

Beyond our own solar system, there are more planets than stars in the night sky. So far, we have discovered thousands of planetary systems orbiting other stars in the Milky Way, with more planets being found. Most of the hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy are thought to have planets of their own, and the Milky Way is but one of perhaps 100 billion galaxies in the universe.

While our planet is in some ways a mere speck in the vast cosmos, we have a lot of company out there. It seems that we live in a universe packed with planets – a web of countless stars accompanied by families of objects, perhaps some with life of their own.

There are many planetary systems like ours in the universe, with planets orbiting a host star. Our planetary system is called “the solar system” because we use the word “solar” to describe things related to our star, after the Latin word for Sun, "solis."

Size and Distance

Our solar system extends much farther than the eight planets that orbit the Sun. The solar system also includes the Kuiper Belt that lies past Neptune's orbit. This is a sparsely occupied ring of icy bodies, almost all smaller than the most popular Kuiper Belt Object – dwarf planet Pluto .

Beyond the fringes of the Kuiper Belt is the Oort Cloud . This giant spherical shell surrounds our solar system. It has never been directly observed, but its existence is predicted based on mathematical models and observations of comets that likely originate there.

The Oort Cloud is made of icy pieces of space debris - some bigger than mountains – orbiting our Sun as far as 1.6 light-years away. This shell of material is thick, extending from 5,000 astronomical units to 100,000 astronomical units. One astronomical unit (or AU) is the distance from the Sun to Earth, or about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). The Oort Cloud is the boundary of the Sun's gravitational influence, where orbiting objects can turn around and return closer to our Sun.

The Sun's heliosphere doesn't extend quite as far. The heliosphere is the bubble created by the solar wind – a stream of electrically charged gas blowing outward from the Sun in all directions. The boundary where the solar wind is abruptly slowed by pressure from interstellar gases is called the termination shock. This edge occurs between 80-100 astronomical units.

Two NASA spacecraft launched in 1977 have crossed the termination shock: Voyager 1 in 2004 and Voyager 2 in 2007. Voyager 1 went interstellar in 2012 and Voyager 2 joined it in 2018. But it will be many thousands of years before the two Voyagers exit the Oort Cloud.​

There are more than 200 known moons in our solar system and several more awaiting confirmation of discovery. Of the eight planets, Mercury and Venus are the only ones with no moons. The giant planets Jupiter and Saturn lead our solar system’s moon counts. In some ways, the swarms of moons around these worlds resemble mini versions of our solar system. Pluto, smaller than our own moon, has five moons in its orbit, including the Charon, a moon so large it makes Pluto wobble. Even tiny asteroids can have moons. In 2017, scientists found asteroid 3122 Florence had two tiny moons .

Our solar system formed about 4.5 billion years ago from a dense cloud of interstellar gas and dust. The cloud collapsed, possibly due to the shockwave of a nearby exploding star, called a supernova. When this dust cloud collapsed, it formed a solar nebula – a spinning, swirling disk of material.

At the center, gravity pulled more and more material in. Eventually, the pressure in the core was so great that hydrogen atoms began to combine and form helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy. With that, our Sun was born, and it eventually amassed more than 99% of the available matter.

Matter farther out in the disk was also clumping together. These clumps smashed into one another, forming larger and larger objects. Some of them grew big enough for their gravity to shape them into spheres, becoming planets, dwarf planets, and large moons. In other cases, planets did not form: the asteroid belt is made of bits and pieces of the early solar system that could never quite come together into a planet. Other smaller leftover pieces became asteroids, comets, meteoroids, and small, irregular moons.

The order and arrangement of the planets and other bodies in our solar system is due to the way the solar system formed. Nearest to the Sun, only rocky material could withstand the heat when the solar system was young. For this reason, the first four planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – are terrestrial planets. They are all small with solid, rocky surfaces.

Meanwhile, materials we are used to seeing as ice, liquid, or gas settled in the outer regions of the young solar system. Gravity pulled these materials together, and that is where we find gas giants Jupiter and Saturn, and the ice giants Uranus and Neptune.

Solar System Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on solar system.

Our solar system consists of eight planets that revolve around the Sun, which is central to our solar system . These planets have broadly been classified into two categories that are inner planets and outer planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are called inner planets. The inner planets are closer to the Sun and they are smaller in size as compared to the outer planets. These are also referred to as the Terrestrial planets. And the other four Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are termed as the outer planets. These four are massive in size and are often referred to as Giant planets.

The smallest planet in our solar system is Mercury, which is also closest to the Sun. The geological features of Mercury consist of lobed ridges and impact craters. Being closest to the Sun the Mercury’s temperature sores extremely high during the day time. Mercury can go as high as 450 degree Celsius but surprisingly the nights here are freezing cold. Mercury has a diameter of 4,878 km and Mercury does not have any natural satellite like Earth.

Venus is also said to be the hottest planet of our solar system. It has a toxic atmosphere that always traps heat. Venus is also the brightest planet and it is visible to the naked eye. Venus has a thick silicate layer around an iron core which is also similar to that of Earth. Astronomers have seen traces of internal geological activity on Venus planet. Venus has a diameter of 12,104 km and it is just like Mars. Venus also does not have any natural satellite like Earth.

Earth is the largest inner planet. It is covered two-third with water. Earth is the only planet in our solar system where life is possible. Earth’s atmosphere which is rich in nitrogen and oxygen makes it fit for the survival of various species of flora and fauna. However human activities are negatively impacting its atmosphere. Earth has a diameter of 12,760 km and Earth has one natural satellite that is the moon.

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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and it is often referred to as the Red Planet. This planet has a reddish appeal because of the iron oxide present on this planet. Mars planet is a cold planet and it has geological features similar to that of Earth. This is the only reason why it has captured the interest of astronomers like no other planet. This planet has traces of frozen ice caps and it has been found on the planet. Mars has a diameter of 6,787 km and it has two natural satellites.

It is the largest planet in our solar system. Jupiter has a strong magnetic field . Jupiter largely consists of helium and hydrogen. It has a Great Red Spot and cloud bands. The giant storm is believed to have raged here for hundreds of years. Jupiter has a diameter of 139,822 km and it has as many as 79 natural satellites which are much more than of Earth and Mars.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It is also known for its ring system and these rings are made of tiny particles of ice and rock. Saturn’s atmosphere is quite like that of Jupiter because it is also largely composed of hydrogen and helium. Saturn has a diameter of 120,500 km and It has 62 natural satellites that are mainly composed of ice. As compare with Jupiter it has less satellite.

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It is the lightest of all the giant and outer planets. Presence of Methane in the atmosphere this Uranus planet has a blue tint. Uranus core is colder than the other giant planets and the planet orbits on its side. Uranus has a diameter of 51,120 km and it has 27 natural satellites.

Neptune is the last planet in our solar system. It is also the coldest of all the planets. Neptune is around the same size as the Uranus. And it is much more massive and dense. Neptune’s atmosphere is composed of helium, hydrogen, methane, and ammonia and it experiences extremely strong winds. It is the only planet in our solar system which is found by mathematical prediction. Neptune has a diameter of 49,530 km and it has 14 natural satellites which are more than of Earth and Mars.

Scientists and astronomers have been studying our solar system for centuries and then after they will findings are quite interesting. Various planets that form a part of our solar system have their own unique geological features and all are different from each other in several ways.

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Speech on Space

Space, the vast expanse above us, is a mystery waiting to be unraveled. It’s a place where stars twinkle and planets orbit, far beyond what your eyes can see.

You might wonder about the black void you see at night. It’s not empty but filled with galaxies, each teeming with billions of stars just like our sun.

1-minute Speech on Space

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, imagine a place that’s always changing, always expanding, and full of secrets yet to be discovered. That place is space, the final frontier of exploration.

Think about the night sky. Each tiny dot of light you see is a distant star, many with planets just like our Earth orbiting around them. This shows us how vast space really is. It’s a place so big that even light, which travels incredibly fast, can take millions of years to get from one place to another.

Now let’s talk about the beauty of space. When astronauts look back at Earth from space, they don’t see any borders or countries. They see one planet, beautiful and fragile, suspended in the darkness. Space shows us that we are all connected, all living on the same tiny blue dot.

But space is more than just beautiful, it’s useful too. Satellites in space help us predict the weather, navigate our world, and even watch our favorite TV shows. This proves how space exploration can make our lives on Earth better.

Finally, space is the future. Someday, we might be able to live on other planets or meet beings from other worlds. By learning about space, we are opening doors to endless possibilities.

Space is vast, beautiful, useful, and full of potential. It’s our final frontier, a place that will always have new things to teach us, and new places to explore. Let’s look up at the stars and dream big, because in space, anything is possible. Thank you.

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2-minute Speech on Space

Good day! Let’s talk about something that’s been sparking human curiosity for centuries. It’s big, it’s vast, it’s full of mysteries – it’s the universe! Space, as we call it, is an endless expanse, much like an infinite dark blanket, sprinkled with bright stars.

In the first place, let’s discuss the stars in the sky. You see them every night, sparkling like little diamonds. They look tiny to us, but they’re actually gigantic balls of gas, burning a very, very long way away. Our very own Sun is also a star. It’s the closest one to us, and that’s why it appears so big and bright. Stars are important because they provide light and heat. They’re like the streetlights of the universe.

Secondly, let’s talk about the planets. We live on Earth, which is one of eight planets in our solar system. The others are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Each one is unique. For example, Mars, known as the Red Planet, and Venus, often called Earth’s twin. We’ve sent spacecraft to all these planets to learn more about them.

Next, let’s talk about something really exciting – space travel. Astronauts are brave explorers who get to go on amazing adventures in space. They travel in spacecraft and sometimes live in space stations, like the International Space Station. They do important work, like studying the effects of living in space and conducting experiments that help us understand more about our universe. Some astronauts have even walked on the moon!

Finally, let’s think about the future of space exploration. Scientists are working on ways for humans to live on other planets, like Mars. Can you imagine that? Living on a different planet! And who knows what else we might discover in the vastness of space. There could be other life forms out there, maybe even civilizations like ours.

Space is a truly fascinating subject. There’s so much we don’t know yet, and that’s what makes it so exciting. Every day, scientists are discovering new things about our universe. And who knows? Maybe one day, some of you will become those scientists, or even astronauts, exploring the unknown and making amazing discoveries. So, let’s keep looking up at the stars and dreaming about the endless possibilities that space holds for us. Thank you!

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1 Minute Speech on Solar System In English

A very good morning to one and all present here. Today, I will be giving a short speech on the topic of ‘Solar System’. 

Google defines the term ‘Solar System’ to be “the collection of eight planets and their moons in orbit round the sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. The planets of the solar system are (in order of distance from the sun) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.”

Simply put, the solar system consists of the sun, the moons, and the planets that revolve around it. Wikipedia further provides the following information: “It (Solar System) formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud .”

Previously, the solar system used to have not 8 but 9 planets- the 9th being Pluto. However, on the 24th of August 2006, Pluto was officially removed from the list of planets recognised under the solar system because it is a “dwarf planet”.

Thank you. 

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The solar system

Are you interested in space and the solar system? Practise your reading in English with this text.

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Our solar system.

Our solar system was formed about 4.5 billion years ago! But what exactly is the solar system? It consists of our sun and eight main planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. There are also moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, rocks and dust. 

All of the planets in the solar system orbit the sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called 'terrestrial planets'. They are mostly made of rock and metal. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are called 'gas giants'. They are mostly composed of gas and they have rings. The smallest planet is Mercury and the biggest is Jupiter. Neptune is the coldest and Venus is the hottest planet.

Moons travel around planets. Earth has got just one moon, but there are at least 150 moons in our solar system. Jupiter and Saturn are the planets with the most - 53 confirmed moons each! Mercury and Venus have no moons at all. 

Stars are enormous balls of very hot gas. Our closest star is the sun, and it's 150 million km away from planet Earth! Without the sun's energy, there would be no life on Earth.

Space missions

Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel in space in 1961. Then, in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. There have been many more missions to space since!

Did you know ...?

An easy way to remember the order of the planets is to use a special sentence, such as 'My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles'. The first letter of each word is the first letter of each planet. Or you could make up your own sentence!

Can you think of another sentence that helps you remember the order of the planets? Tell us what it is!

Hello! My favorite planet is Mercury.

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My favorite planet is mars because is named after THE roman god of war that means i like fighting because i have karate

Hello! I am Emma. My favorite planet is Earth. Because that is where I live! What is your favorite planet? Tell me all about it!

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Speech on Solar Systems and Planets in English in simple and easy words

Table of Contents

Our Solar System is the planetary system bound by the gravitation of the Sun and all the bodies that revolve around it, either indirectly or directly. The bodies that revolve around the sun indirectly are the moons and the bodies that revolve around the sun directly are called planets, large and dwarf and all other objects in the solar system.

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Long and Short Speech on Solar Systems and Planets in English

You might come across situations at school, colleges, events, etc when you may be required to deliver Speech on Solar systems and Planets.

We are sharing here some Solar systems and Planets Speeches for you to take ideas from.

The Short Speech on Solar systems and Planets can be delivered at schools and colleges by the students.

While the Long Speech on Solar systems and Planets can be delivered by the professors, and scientists, etc. The language is very simple yet impressive and easy to grasp.

Speech on Solar Systems and Planets 1

Respected Principal Sir, Respected Teachers, all other members of the School and My Fellow Students!

First of all, I would like to welcome you all to the Science Fair that is conducted every year in our school. It started when I was in Standard V, since then I have been an active participant of the Science Fair. Every year, on the first day of the Fair, the school shares some surprises and exciting news with us.

This year, our school has something very enjoyable and exciting for us, especially for the small students. This year, our school has decided to take all of us to the Science Museum and the Planetarium on the last day of the Fair. Exciting, isn’t it? Personally, I am very enthralled and excited as knowing about the Solar system and the Planet has always been one of my favorite fascinations.

We all know that our Solar System is constituted of the 8 planets that revolve around the Sun. However, how many of you know that, along with the planets, the Solar System has the comets, moons, minor planets, asteroids, gas and dust, etc. as well. The internal part of the solar system has the Sun, Venus, Mercury, Mars and the Earth. The principal asteroid belt stretches out between the ranges of Jupiter and Mars.

The planets that lie in the external layer of the solar system include the Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus. Many of you might be wondering why haven’t I taken the name of Pluto or in fact, many of you must be aware that Pluto is considered as ‘Dwarf planet’ now since it does not meet the criteria and definition of being a ‘Planets’ as per the new classification shared by the IAU (International Astronomical Union).

Each and everything within the Solar System revolves around the Sun and the Sun has approximately 98% of entire material within the Solar System. This is because any object that is very big in size would have more and more gravity and since the Sun is so huge, its strong gravity pulls all the other objects within the Solar System towards itself. On the other hand, all the objects that are moving in high speed make constant attempt to move away from the Sun, into the empty part of the outer space of the solar system.

As a consequence of the planets’ attempt to move away and the Sun’s attempt to draw them inward, the planets get stuck somewhere in between. They usually get balanced between the ‘escape from the sun’ and ‘getting drawn towards the Sun’, these planets spend their entire life revolving around the sun.

Well, there are a lot of other things to know about our solar system and the planets. The visit to the Science Museum and the Planetarium will be a great opportunity for all of us to know about all these, in group. I am really thankful to the school for giving us this learning and enriching opportunity.

I would rest my speech here anticipating that our trip to the planetarium would one of the best learning experiences for all of us!

Speech on Solar Systems and Planets 2

Dear Students – A very good morning to all of you!

Hope you all are settled. It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to the 5 th Science Fair of our school. Without taking much of your time; I would like to tell you that the theme for this year’s Science Fair is ‘Solar System and the Planets’.

You all are aware that our solar system consists of eight planets along with their respective moons and the satellites, and all these revolve constantly around the Sun. Many of you, I am sure know that Pluto is now considered a ‘Dwarf Planet’ while it was one of the planets in earlier days. The remaining eight planets include Mercury; Venus; Earth; Mars; Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus, and Neptune. Pluto, in earlier times was the smallest and the ninth planet of our solar system but International Astronomical Union (IAU) changed the description of the planets and since Pluto was not meeting the required standards; it is considered as the ‘Dwarf planet’ now.

The planet Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and it is also the tiniest planet in the entire solar system. Being closest to the Sun, it has the smallest year compared to all other planets. However, its day is longer than its year and 1 year of Mercury is equal to approximately 88 days of the earth; that is the smallest in the whole solar system.

You all might have heard about the leap year; the year in which February month has 1 day extra i.e. 29 days. Leap year comes every fourth year. Did you ever wonder why it is so? Our Solar system and the planet Earth have the response to this question. Earth is the only planet that is inhabited with living beings. 1 day on Earth consists of 23 hours & 56 minutes and a year on the planet is 365.3 days. Every 4 th year the 0.3 gets added up that makes an extra day and called as Leap Year, well known as February 29th.

All planets have their own importance and interesting stories. I am sure you all know that Jupiter is the biggest planet in the entire Solar system and is positioned fifth from the Sun. The planet has the smallest day compared to all other planets, i.e. is 9 hours, 55 minutes only. However, its year has approximately 4333 days, maximum of all the planets. Since Jupiter does not have any solid surface; survival of life is not possible on this planet. The atmosphere of Jupiter contains a huge ocean of water and hydrogen and as the sky compresses, it gradually becomes the element of the ocean making the ocean larger.

Well there are lots of other interesting things to know about our Solar system and the Planet. While Internet is the highly resourceful in gaining knowledge about it; I would recommend that you should study books and articles published in the Newspaper, etc. to gain better understanding about the Solar system and the Planet.

Speech on Solar Systems and Planets 3

Dear Teachers and Students,

This is a great occasion and I am feeling highly honored for having been called to share my learning experience with you all. I had studied from this esteemed institution and after my schooling, I took up to studying Astronomy and now I am a Scientist with R&D Center, New Delhi.

While the school has inculcated in me, discipline and interest towards studying the Solar system and planets, Galaxy, etc. I believe my passion towards studying the Moon, Stars, Solar system, and the Galaxy had been instrumental in making me a successful student.

Our Solar system is so vast and enormous that the more you learn about it, the more deeply you get involved in it. Ever since its discovery in the year 1930, Pluto had been considered the 9th planet and the smallest planet in or Solar system. However, this notion started changing towards the end of 1990s, when Scientists and astronomers started arguing about the Pluto not being a planet in all respect. In the year 2006, the IAU (International Astronomical Union) finally made a decision remove Pluto from the list of the planets and named it as ‘Dwarf planet’ and thus we are now left with 8 ‘actual planets’ in the Solar system.

As you all know that the 8 planets are Mercury that is the smallest planet and nearest to the sun. Venus is the hottest planet and nearest to our Earth. Earth is the only planet that is inhabited by living beings. Mars is the second smallest planet; Jupiter is the biggest planet with maximum number of Moons. Saturn is the second largest planet; then come Uranus and Neptune; these are farther from the sun. While Mercury; Venus; Earth and Mars are the interior rocky planets; the Jupiter and Saturn are the exterior gas giant planets and Uranus and Neptune are the exterior ice giant planets.

All the planets are part of our Solar System and continuously revolve around the sun. Our planet Earth takes approximately 24 hours to revolve on its axis, causing the occurrence of day and night; and it takes approximately 365 days to orbit the sun. Not only by the Earth, the Sun is been orbited by all other planets, comets, asteroids and all other objects in the Solar system.

You would be amazed to know that our Solar System is approximately 4.6 billion years old and is created by the gravity in a huge molecular cloud. Are you aware that the Sun we see is actually a huge star, made up of helium and hydrogen and contains approximately 99.9% of the entire Solar System’s mass. This is why it has enormous gravity that pulls everything towards self causing every object in the planet to revolve around it.

Our Solar System also has other objects such as asteroids, lies somewhere in between Jupiter and Mars. Other objects such as the ‘Kuiper belt’ and the ‘scattered disc’ surround Neptune. All these locations have dwarf planets such as Pluto and others. There are various other very tiny particles and objects in all these areas such as centaurs, comets, interplanetary dust, etc.

Well, the solar system is very huge and it is not possible for anyone to share everything about it in discussions. I would recommend those who are interested in knowing more about the planet must study books, articles, etc.

You may also get in touch with me,

Speech on Solar Systems and Planets 4

Respected Principal Sir, Respected Teachers and My Dear Students!

It is an immense pleasure to stand amidst you and sharing my experience of studying Astronomy with you all. Until 3 years back, I was one of you. After passing out my Secondary exams from the school, I took up to study Astronomy as Solar System, Planets, Sun, Moon and Stars have always fascinated me.

Most of us have seen in our childhood and even as grown up adults – moons, planets and sun from various viewpoints at different times of the day. I have found out that there is a lot to learn and gain knowledge from our Solar System. Our Solar System is so huge and vast, that one can never learn everything about it. However, it is always good that one starts from the basics; for learning about the galaxy, planets and the Solar system, it is important that one learns about the physical factors of the solar system. In order to do so, one must enroll to institutes that trains and teaches about the Solar System.

When I was a kid, I was highly mesmerized about the stars, planets, sun and the Solar system. I wanted to view them closely; my father then bought me a telescope. When I grew up, he gave me a special camera that can click pictures of these bodies from different angles. Now when I am studying astronomy, I have found out that certain types of ‘Robots’ are also involved in studying the solar system. The most basic thing about the Solar system is that there are 9 planets in the solar system, namely: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. In fact, I have grown up knowing that fact. But recently, Pluto’s name has been removed from the list of Planets as Pluto doesn’t meet the new criterions that define the planets. Hence, Pluto is now only a ‘Dwarf Planet’.

We all know that Sun is the source of light and heat; but did you know that the Sun is made up of almost 98% of hydrogen and helium and comprises nearly every type of substances in the Solar System. Therefore, the Sun produces light and heat for the entire Solar System. Planets and objects that are nearer to the Sun are greatly made up of substances with greater melting points and thus have barren surfaces in higher ratio.

While, objects and planets that are distant from the Sun are usually made up of substances with lesser melting points. Therefore, life and survival is possible on such planets. However, Earth is the only planet where water is found; therefore making survival of living beings only possible on Earth. The composition of the Solar system includes the Sun in the middle, four giant planets and four inner planets bordered by the ‘Kuiper belt’, which is typically made of icy objects.

Well friends, I am sure you all have been mesmerized hearing about the Solar system so far. However, there is a lot to know about the galaxy, Solar System, Planets and the whole Universe.

I would recommend, if anyone of you is extremely interested to know more about these, may contact me personally or read books published on the Solar System.

Thank you for hearing me out!

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• Paragraph On Solar System

Paragraph on Solar System - Check Samples for 100, 150, 200, 250 Words

The eight planets, the sun and the satellites constitute the solar system. Previously, there were nine planets, but Pluto is no longer recognised as a planet now. The sun is at the centre of the solar system, and all eight planets revolve around it. The rotation and revolution of the planets cause the change of the season and day and night.

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Paragraph on solar system in 100 words, paragraph on solar system in 150 words, paragraph on solar system in 200 words, paragraph on solar system in 250 words, frequently asked questions on solar system.

Our solar system is unique in that it supports life on its third planet. Children are taught about the solar system in their schools as it is an important part of our lives. In order to write about the solar system, you can refer to the samples provided below.

As per our knowledge, there are approximately 500 solar systems in the universe. The solar system consists of the sun, the eight planets and the satellites. Other than these, there are asteroids, comets, dust, minor planets, and gas. The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars constitute the inner solar system, and the asteroid belt lies between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are the outer solar system planets. The rotation of the planets causes the day and night, and the revolution of planets around the sun causes the change of seasons. Our solar system is present in the Milkyway galaxy. As per astronomers and scientists, the earth is the only planetary body that supports life.

The sun, eight planets, and satellites make up the solar system. Asteroids, comets, dust, small planets, and gas are among the other objects found in space. The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars make up the inner solar system, whereas the asteroid belt is between Mars and Jupiter’s orbit. According to our knowledge, there are around 500 solar systems in the universe. The outer solar system planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The sun is at the centre of the solar system, and the planets revolve around it in their own orbits. The rotation of the planets causes the days and nights, and the changing of seasons is caused by the revolution of the planets around the sun. Our solar system exists in the Milkyway galaxy. According to scientists and astronomers, the earth is the only planetary body where life can exist. But this can be proven wrong after more discoveries about the universe.

The solar system comprises the sun, eight planets (Pluto is considered as a dwarf planet), and satellites. Other than these, there are also asteroids, comets, dust, small planets, and gases found in space. The sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars make up the inner solar system and Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are in the outer solar system. The asteroid belt lies in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The sun is the biggest star in the solar system, which is at the centre of the solar system and the planets orbit around the sun. The planets rotate on their own axis and revolve around the sun in their own orbits. The rotation causes days and nights, whereas the revolution causes the change of seasons in the planets. The research on our universe is still going on, but there are around 500 solar systems present in our universe, as per the little information we have gathered. Our solar system lies in the Milkyway Galaxy, which appears like a white band in the night sky and is therefore named as Milkyway Galaxy. According to scientists and astronomers, the earth is the only planetary body where life can exist. But this can be proven wrong after other discoveries about the universe.

The sun, eight planets (including Pluto, which is a dwarf planet), and satellites make up the solar system. The inner solar system is made up of the sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, whereas the outer solar system is made up of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Between Mars and Jupiter’s orbits is where the asteroid belt lies. Asteroids, comets, dust, tiny planets, and gases are among the other objects that can be found in space. The sun is the largest star in the solar system, located at the centre of the system, around which all the eight planets revolve. Planets rotate in their own axes and follow their own orbits around the sun. The rotation of the planets in their own axes causes the change of day and night, and the revolution causes the change of seasons throughout the year. Research about the universe is still a vast ongoing process, but different scientists and researchers have come to various conclusions about the solar system. It has been found that the solar system lies in the Milkyway Galaxy. The Milkyway galaxy got its name from the Romans, who thought the earth’s nighttime skyline looked like a band and a patch of milk. As per our little knowledge, we know that there are about 500 solar systems in the universe, but later, there might be some additions. As per scientists and astronomers, the earth is the only planetary body where life can exist, but this can be proven wrong after more research and discoveries about the universe.

What are the components of the solar system?

The solar system consists of the sun, eight planets, satellites, asteroids, gases, comets, and dust particles.

How are days and nights caused?

Days and nights are caused due to the rotation of the planets in their own axes. It will be a day on the sun-facing side of the planet and a night on the other side.

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Speech On Solar Systems And Planets for Children And Students in English

Speech On Solar Systems And Planets:  Our solar system consists of the Sun, the planets, and many other terrestrial bodies. There are many satellites, some are natural satellites like the moon, and some are human-made. The solar system is full of discoveries.

The universe has more than 500 solar systems, and our solar system is present inside a Milky Way Galaxy. There are many more fun facts about the solar system, which are unknown to us. It will take 1.3 million planets of the size of the Earth to fill the volume of the Sun, that is how much massive the Sun is.

Students can also find more  English Speech Writing  about Welcome Speeches, Farewell Speeches, etc

Long And Short Speeches On Solar Systems And Planets for Kids And Students in English

We are providing a long Speech On Solar Systems And Planets of 500 words and a short Speech On Solar Systems And Planets of 150 words with ten lines about the topic.

These speeches will help the students of schools and colleges to deliver a Speech On Solar Systems And Planets in speech competitions or general occasions in their educational institutes for the students, teachers, and other guests.

A Long Speech On Solar Systems And Planets is helpful to students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. A Short Speech On Solar Systems And Planets is helpful to students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Long Speech On Solar Systems And Planets 500 Words In English

Good Morning to my respected Principal, my teachers, and everyone present here.

Today, I got the opportunity to discuss one of my favorite topics- the solar system and planets. From a very young age, the stars, galaxies, moons, and solar systems have amazed me. It has intrigued me with questions about their very existence. Where are they situated? What are their structures comprised of? So, today I will be explaining the solar system and its family of planets.

Our solar system came into existence 4.6 billion years ago. It was formed due to the gravitational collapse of a part of a molecular cloud. A shockwave by an exploding star named Supernova caused the molecular cloud made of interstellar gas and dust to collapse. That is how the creation of the solar system occurred.

As we all know, the solar system comprises the star, known as the Sun, along with a trail of planets. All of the planets are bound together by the force of gravity. It also consists of dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, meteors, and comets. The Sun, which is the star of the solar system, comprises 98% of all the materials present in the solar system. Its gravitational force is very high because of its size. The surface temperature of the Sun is 6000 degrees Celsius that increases to 20 million in the interior layers.

The Sun forms the central body of the solar system around which all the planets revolve in their respective orbits. The planets comprise of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Yes, I have not mentioned Pluto since Pluto is now considered a ‘dwarf planet.’ These planets revolve around the Sun, maintaining their respective speeds. The solar system is divided into two parts. The inner part has the Sun, Mercury, Venus Earth, and Mars. The remaining planets form a part of the outer solar system. The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

The smallest planet of the solar system is Mercury, which is also the closest planet to the Sun, whereas the giant planet in the solar system is Jupiter.

An interesting fact about Jupiter is that it is surrounded by twelve satellites. Venus is considered as Earth’s twin as they share a similar size, mass, and density. Out of all the planets, only Earth can sustain life, thus rightly named the “blue planet.” The Earth has a natural satellite, the Moon revolving eastwards. According to various astronomers, there is some possibility of life in Mars after Earth, the only planet with life. Saturn has three rings of ice that makes it unique from the other planets. Uranus moves around the Sun tilting at an angle of 90-degree. Let me say a fun fact about Neptune. Neptune was detected as a planet by mathematical calculations.

I would end my speech here and thank my Principal and teachers for giving me this opportunity to speak on one of my favorite topics.

Short Speech On Solar Systems And Planets 150 Words In English

Good Morning Everyone.

I am glad to stand before all of you to express my experience in the field of astronomy. I am sure; the solar system is always a fascinating topic for everybody.

When you want to learn about galaxies, planets, and solar systems, it is essential to learn about the physical factors of the solar system.

The most elemental concept about the solar system is that it contains eight planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. The Sun is made up of 98% hydrogen.

Earth is the only planet where we can find water, and it helps the living creature to be alive. There are many fascinating facts about the solar system, like the Milky Way galaxy, asteroids, and meteors, etc.

I would recommend if you are interested to learn about the solar system, then you should read as many books as possible to make you knowledgeable about the solar system.

10 Lines On Speech On Solar Systems And Planets In English

• Every substance in the solar system revolves around the Sun. The Sun is a star that is a massive hot gas that gives us heat and light.
• There is a total of 8 planets that orbit around the Sun.
• Mercury is the closest planet of Sun, and Neptune is the farthest one.
• Jupiter is the giant planet, and the smallest planet is Mercury.
• Earth only has a supportive environment for living creatures.
• When the Earth orbits around the Sun, it rotates as well. For a complete rotation, Earth takes one day.
• For completing one circuit, Earth takes 365 days around the Sun. It is what we call a year.
• The whole universe consists of at least 100 billion galaxies in it.
• Due to gravity, we all can stick to the surface of the Earth. There is a magnetic force, where the Earth keeps on attracting the objects towards the surface.
• Moon orbits around the Earth, not the Sun.

FAQ’s On Speech On Solar Systems And Planets

Question 1. What is the distance of the Sun from the Earth?

Answer: Sun is 93 million miles away from the Earth. The sunlight takes only 8 minutes to travel the surface of the Earth.

Question 2. Which planet is known as the red planet?

Answer: We call the planet Mars as the red planet. The reason behind this is that the rocks of Mars are red. It is the closest planet from the Sun.

Question 3. Which is the hottest and the coldest planet of the solar system?

Answer: Venus is the hottest planet of the solar system with a temperature of 460°C, and the coldest planet is Uranus, which is -220°C.

Question 4. What is a ‘Great Red Spot’?

Answer: In Jupiter, which is the biggest planet on the solar system, there is a storm that is bigger than Earth, which has been blowing for hundreds of years. It is known as ‘Great Red Spot.’

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Measuring High and Low

More about the missions, news media contacts.

The Sun will be at peak activity this year, providing a rare opportunity to study how solar storms and radiation could affect future astronauts on the Red Planet.

In the months ahead, two of NASA’s Mars spacecraft will have an unprecedented opportunity to study how solar flares — giant explosions on the Sun’s surface — could affect robots and future astronauts on the Red Planet.

That’s because the Sun is entering a period of peak activity called solar maximum, something that occurs roughly every 11 years. During solar maximum, the Sun is especially prone to throwing fiery tantrums in a variety of forms — including solar flares and coronal mass ejections — that launch radiation deep into space. When a series of these solar events erupts, it’s called a solar storm.

Earth’s magnetic field largely shields our home planet from the effects of these storms. But Mars lost its global magnetic field long ago, leaving the Red Planet more vulnerable to the Sun’s energetic particles. Just how intense does solar activity get on Mars? Researchers hope the current solar maximum will give them a chance to find out. Before sending humans there, space agencies need to determine, among many other details, what kind of radiation protection astronauts would require.

“For humans and assets on the Martian surface, we don’t have a solid handle on what the effect is from radiation during solar activity,” said Shannon Curry of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. Curry is principal investigator for NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) orbiter, which is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “I’d actually love to see the ‘big one’ at Mars this year — a large event that we can study to understand solar radiation better before astronauts go to Mars.”

MAVEN observes radiation, solar particles, and more from high above Mars. The planet’s thin atmosphere can affect the intensity of the particles by the time they reach the surface, which is where NASA’s Curiosity rover comes in. Data from Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector, or RAD , has helped scientists understand how radiation breaks down carbon-based molecules on the surface, a process that could affect whether signs of ancient microbial life are preserved there. The instrument has also provided NASA with an idea of how much shielding from radiation astronauts could expect by using caves, lava tubes, or cliff faces for protection.

When a solar event occurs, scientists look both at the quantity of solar particles and how energetic they are.

“You can have a million particles with low energy or 10 particles with extremely high energy,” said RAD’s principal investigator, Don Hassler of the Boulder, Colorado, office of the Southwest Research Institute. “While MAVEN’s instruments are more sensitive to lower-energy ones, RAD is the only instrument capable of seeing the high-energy ones that make it through the atmosphere to the surface, where astronauts would be.”

When MAVEN detects a big solar flare, the orbiter’s team lets the Curiosity team know so they can watch for changes in RAD’s data. The two missions can even assemble a time series measuring changes down to the half-second as particles arrive at the Martian atmosphere, interact with it, and eventually strike the surface.

The MAVEN mission also leads an early warning system that lets other Mars spacecraft teams know when radiation levels begin to rise. The heads-up enables missions to turn off instruments that could be vulnerable to solar flares, which can interfere with electronics and radio communication.

Beyond helping to keep astronauts and spacecraft safe, studying solar maximum could also lend insight into why Mars changed from being a warm, wet Earth-like world billions of years ago to the freezing desert it is today.

The planet is at a point in its orbit when it’s closest to the Sun, which heats up the atmosphere. That can cause billowing dust storms to blanket the surface. Sometimes the storms merge, becoming global .

While there’s little water left on Mars — mostly ice under the surface and at the poles — some still circulates as vapor in the atmosphere. Scientists wonder whether global dust storms help to eject this water vapor, lofting it high above the planet, where the atmosphere gets stripped away during solar storms . One theory is that this process, repeated enough times over eons, might explain how Mars went from having lakes and rivers to virtually no water today.

If a global dust storm were to occur at the same time as a solar storm, it would provide an opportunity to test that theory. Scientists are especially excited because this particular solar maximum is occurring at the start of the dustiest season on Mars, but they also know that a global dust storm is a rare occurrence.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission. Lockheed Martin Space built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. JPL provides navigation and Deep Space Network support. The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder is responsible for managing science operations and public outreach and communications. 

Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The RAD investigation is supported by NASA’s Heliophysics Division as part of NASA’s Heliophysics System Observatory (HSO).

Additional information about the missions can be found at:

https://mars.nasa.gov/maven/

http://mars.nasa.gov/msl

Nancy Neal Jones Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-0039 [email protected]

Andrew Good Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-2433 [email protected]

Karen Fox / Charles Blue NASA Headquarters, Washington 301-286-6284 / 202-802-5345 [email protected] / [email protected]

Related Terms

• Curiosity (Rover)
• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Heliophysics
• Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
• MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN)

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How Solar Storms This Year Will Help Mars Astronauts in the Future (Mars Report - April 2024)

The Sun’s activity will be at its peak in 2024, providing a rare opportunity to study how solar storms and radiation could affect future astronauts and robots on Mars. This peak period – called solar maximum – will be observed by NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatiles EvolutioN) orbiter and Curiosity rover. Learn how both spacecraft have a big year ahead in this video featuring MAVEN Principal Investigator Shannon Curry of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Solar maximum occurs roughly every 11 years. During this period, the Sun is especially prone to throwing fiery tantrums in a variety of forms, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These events launch radiation deep into space. When a series of these solar events erupt, it’s called a solar storm.

Earth’s magnetic field largely shields our home planet from the effects of these storms. But Mars lost its global magnetic field long ago, leaving the Red Planet more vulnerable to the Sun’s energetic particles. Researchers are excited to potentially gather data on just how intense solar activity can get at Mars. Among the preparations space agencies will need to make for sending humans to the Red Planet is what kind of radiation protection astronauts would require.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California leads the Curiosity mission.

Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/3UNS6g1

For more information on MAVEN, go to: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/maven/

For more information on Curiosity, go to: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/Scientific Visualization Studio/SDO/LASP-University of Colorado Boulder/MSSS

Shannon Curry - MAVEN Principal Investigator

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder

This is a big year for NASA's MAVEN orbiter. What it could learn can someday help future astronauts safely land on Mars, and provide us with a new view of the Sun.

(MARS REPORT INTRODUCTION CARD)

This is mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This is where all of the data from MAVEN comes through. Ten years ago, we sent MAVEN to Mars to measure space weather and how it interacts with the upper atmosphere. This includes solar flares, which are giant explosions on the Sun, which send radiation into space.

Every 11 years, the Sun goes through cycles of activity. This year, we’ve seen more space weather than we ever have during the entire mission. And while solar flares can occur at any time, they occur more frequently and more intensely at the peak of this cycle, called solar maximum.

Right now, we’re almost at that peak, and I’m really excited about what solar flares can teach us about the Red Planet.

MAVEN is one of two missions studying radiation at Mars. The orbiter is able to observe many phenomena from the Sun, including radiation, high-energy particles, and magnetic fields.

MAVEN can also see stunning auroras from its vantage point high above the planet, which future astronauts might be able to see someday.

Meanwhile, down on the surface of Mars, the Curiosity rover has a radiation detector called RAD. It studies high-energy particles that get all the way through the atmosphere and down to the surface. Together, MAVEN and Curiosity give us a better understanding of the radiation environment at Mars.

Studying how intense solar flares can get during solar maximum can help NASA develop protection for future astronauts, robots, and spacecraft.

There’s another advantage to studying the Sun from Mars.

Here on Earth, we can only see one side of the Sun. But when MAVEN is on the other side, it can spot activity coming days before we can.

On a personal note, MAVEN is my spacecraft baby, and I am so excited about observing the next few years of solar flares, space weather, and the atmosphere of Mars.

Here Comes the Sun: Perseverance Readies for Solar Conjunction

Perseverance wrapped up science activities this week as the team focused on getting the rover in position for solar conjunction , a few week period roughly every two Earth years when Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun. To avoid potential interference of radio signals by the Sun’s ionized gas, engineers do not actively command Mars spacecraft during this period and rather send up a long list of commands prior that don’t require input from the team and keep the spacecraft busy. This year’s solar conjunction will last from Sols 967 to 987 (Nov. 8th-28th, 2023). This is Perseverance’s second solar conjunction of the mission, the last one occurring in October 2021 when we were exploring the crater floor at South Séítah.

After a slow-going but successful traverse north through a difficult boulder-rich terrain, Perseverance arrived at Jurabi Point on Sol 958 (Oct. 31st, 2023). The team took advantage of the view to do some pre-drive imaging of nearby boulders and reconnaissance for our traverse ahead before dropping down into Gnaraloo Bay with a 301 meter drive eastward on Sol 959 (Nov. 1st, 2023). Gnaraloo Bay is a geologically intriguing location with three different units outcropping in close proximity, including a boulder-rich upper fan unit, the margin unit, and curvilinear strata potentially consistent with rocks previously investigated by Perseverance. On Earth, field geologists seek out such boundaries, or "geologic contacts," to constrain stratigraphic relationships and depositional histories of the different rocks and the team hopes to do the same at Gnaraloo Bay.

A 42 meter slightly uphill drive eastward on Sol 960 (Nov. 2nd, 2023) put Perseverance at Airey Hill, an exposure of the curvilinear-like rocks. Perseverance will be parked here for the duration of solar conjunction. Upon arrival at Airey Hill, the team has been focused on characterizing the surrounding rocks with remote sensing observations, including an enormous Mastcam-Z 360 degree stereo panorama acquired at the highest resolution (110 mm focal length). In addition to characterizing the rocks, Perseverance has also been busy monitoring the Martian atmosphere to look for clouds and dust devils, as well as acquiring environmental measurements with the MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer) instrument.

While Perseverance’s co-workers back on Earth will be taking a well-deserved break from surface operations, the rover will be keeping busy over the next few weeks by collecting weather measurements, surveying for clouds and dust devils, monitoring changes in the nearby rocks and soils, collecting sounds with its microphones, and conducting stationary experiments with the RIMFAX (Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment) instrument.

Written by Brad Garczynski, Student Collaborator at Purdue University

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MP throws shade on renewable energy at solar conference

A warning that Australia's renewable energy plans will make it a "poor and weak nation" with regular blackouts and a call to invest in nuclear power has caused a walkout at a Brisbane solar technology event. 

Opposition energy spokesman Ted O'Brien sparked the controversy at the Solar and Storage Live conference on Wednesday with a speech claiming Australia's wind, hydro and solar power plans would endanger the nation's power grid and were not capable of meeting its energy needs.

More than 20 attendees walked out during the speech, with one man heckling the Queensland MP.  

The exodus followed several opening speeches from renewable energy experts, who extolled Australia's world-leading adoption of solar technology and called for greater investments in battery storage technology to capitalise on zero-emissions energy. 

But Mr O'Brien told the audience the Labor government's moves to replace coal-fired power stations with investments in large-scale wind, solar, and battery projects were an untested experiment that would damage the national electricity grid. 

"The days of an affordable, reliable, 24/7 power system will be gone," he said.

"Australia will be left as a  poor and weak nation, highly dependent on foreign supply chains." 

Mr O'Brien said Australia needed to invest in nuclear power plants to meet its net-zero emissions goal by 2050 and avoid "blackouts and brownouts" becoming the norm. 

He did not dismiss solar technology entirely, however, calling for greater investments in battery technology to stop rooftop solar systems saturating the network. 

"Solar has enormous potential in this country still yet, but we have to be clear-eyed  too on the challenges as much as the opportunities as we move forward," he said.

"While our current electricity system is powered by renewables, gas and coal, I believe that our future system will be powered by renewables, gas and zero-emissions nuclear energy."

Many attendees walked out of the theatre during Mr O'Brien's speech, while one man loudly questioned his claims. 

In a recorded speech played to open the solar event, Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic took an opposing view, lauding Australia's investments in solar power and revealing plans to support local battery technology in future.

"We have been working on the development of the national battery strategy because we hold the bulk of the world's resources in critical minerals and rare earths, yet we do very little value-add creating energy storage systems," he said.

"We're generating so much power from solar we should be able to provide energy storage solutions for residential, commercial and industry use."

Clean Energy Council Queensland policy and impact director Tracey Stinson also told attendees renewable energy was making a growing impact in Australia, and made up 39 per cent of Australia's energy generation last year.

"That's more than doubled in the last five years," she said.

"That 80 per cent target by 2030 is very much in our sights."

Ms Stinson said renewable projects did face hurdles, however, including delays in large-scale project approvals, developing renewable energy zones, and striking the right balance in community consultation. 

Biden unveils $7 billion for rooftop solar in Earth Day message

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Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Triangle, Virginia and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Stephanie Kelly in New York; Editing by Edwina Gibbs, Deepa Babington and Alistair Bell

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The outbreak of H5N1 bird flu virus has spread to dairy cows for the first time in the United States, raising concerns about it spreading to humans through the nation's milk supply.

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Kenya flood toll rises to 181 as homes and roads are destroyed

Floods and landslides across Kenya have killed 181 people since March, with hundreds of thousands forced to leave their homes, the government and Red Cross said on Wednesday, as dozens more were killed in neighbouring Tanzania and Burundi.