7.9: Rocky Planets

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Image of Jupiter and earth next to each other so you can compare sizes. Jupiter is 100 times larger in the image.

Public Domain | Image courtesy of NASA.

Rocky Planets are relatively small when compared to the Gas Giants or many of the recently discovered Exoplanets. Rocky Planets have solid surfaces, which exhibit impacts through multiple craters. There are no rings, few or no moons, and evidence of past or current tectonic, volcanic activity. Rocky planets are sometimes referred to as the Terrestrial Planets (Earth-like).

Provided by: Florida State College at Jacksonville. License: CC BY: Attribution