"Eight Planets, One Star, Endless Stories"

This lecture takes audiences on a guided tour of our Solar System, exploring the eight planets that orbit the Sun and the fascinating stories they tell about formation, change, and diversity. Beginning with the Sun—the powerful engine of our planetary neighborhood—we examine how gravity, motion, and time shaped a rich variety of worlds from a single cloud of gas and dust.

Each planet is presented as a unique character, shaped by its distance from the Sun, composition, and atmosphere. From Mercury’s extreme temperatures and Venus’s runaway greenhouse effect to Earth’s delicate balance that supports life, we see how small differences lead to dramatically different outcomes. The journey continues outward to Mars and its watery past, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn with their influential moons, and the distant ice giants Uranus and Neptune, realms of fierce winds and curiosity sparking mysteries.

Along the way, moons, rings, asteroids, and comets reveal clues about the Solar System’s origins and its ongoing evolution. Drawing on modern spacecraft discoveries and historical perspectives, the lecture highlights how our understanding continues to grow—and why our own Solar System remains full of stories yet to be told.

Interactive Q&A - Open floor for audience questions, encouraging curiosity and further exploration
All programs rain or shine. Time machines will be provided by the Westminster Astronomy Club (weather permitting).

Activity: Pocket Solar System

You can find out about special local events by contacting us at Westminster Astronomical Society, Inc.