The solar system consists of the Sun and objects that orbit around it, including 8 planets. The Sun is at the center and provides heat and light to the system through nuclear fusion. The planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Smaller objects like asteroids, comets, and meteors also orbit the Sun. Earth has one natural satellite, the Moon, which orbits our planet and causes the lunar phases as it is illuminated by the Sun.