Solar System Objects Data Table · Earth and Space Sciences Reference Tables (ESSRT)
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The Solar System Objects Data Table from the Reference Tables for Earth and Space Sciences (ESSRT) gives orbital and physical data for the Sun, the eight planets, Earth's Moon and four smaller bodies (Ceres, Pallas, Pluto and Eris). It primarily supports HS-ESS1-4.
| Celestial Object | Mean Distance from Sun (million km) | Period of Revolution (d=Earth days, y=Earth years) | Period of Rotation at Equator | Eccentricity of Orbit | Equatorial Diameter (km) | Axial Tilt (°) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUN | --- | --- | 25.4 d | --- | ~1,391,400 | 7.25 |
| MERCURY | 57.9 | 88.0 d | 58.7 d | 0.206 | 4,879 | 0.03 |
| VENUS | 108.2 | 224.7 d | 243.7 d | 0.007 | 12,104 | 177.36 |
| EARTH | 149.6 | 365.26 d | 23 h 56 min | 0.017 | 12,756 | 23.44 |
| EARTH’S MOON | 149.6 (0.384 from Earth) | 27.3 d | 27.3 d | 0.055 | 3,475 | 6.68 |
| MARS | 228.0 | 1.9 y | 24 h 37 min | 0.094 | 6,792 | 25.19 |
| CERES | 414.0 | 4.6 y | 9 h 5 min | 0.079 | ~939 | 4.00 |
| PALLAS | 414.0 | 4.6 y | 7 h 49 min | 0.231 | ~513 | 84.00 |
| JUPITER | 778.5 | 11.9 y | 9 h 54 min | 0.049 | 142,976 | 3.13 |
| SATURN | 1432.0 | 29.4 y | 10 h 39 min | 0.054 | 120,536 | 26.73 |
| URANUS | 2867.0 | 84.0 y | 17 h 15 min | 0.047 | 51,118 | 97.77 |
| NEPTUNE | 4515.0 | 164.8 y | 16 h 6 min | 0.009 | 49,528 | 28.32 |
| PLUTO | 5906.4 | 248.0 y | 6.4 d | 0.244 | 2,376 | 119.51 |
| ERIS | ~10,000.0 | ~557.6 y | 1.1 d | 0.436 | 2,400 | ~78.30 |
What the Solar System Objects Data Table shows
For each of the 14 objects the table lists the mean distance from the Sun in millions of kilometers, the period of revolution, the period of rotation at the equator, the eccentricity of the orbit, the equatorial diameter in kilometers and the axial tilt in degrees. Periods are given in Earth days (d), Earth years (y), hours (h) and minutes (min), and values marked with ~ are approximate. The data can be used to compare orbits, for example how the period of revolution grows with distance from the Sun.
Regents Exam Questions
Released Regents questions that cannot be answered without this table, listed by exam. Each link opens the question with its answer key; the standard is the one the question assesses. The exams through August 2026 were given with the earlier edition of the ESSRT, which has the same table.