The orbits of planets hundreds of millions of miles away can change weather patterns here on Earth. Every 405,000 years, gravitational tugs from the planets Jupiter and Venus gradually affect Earth’s climate and life forms, according to a new study published Monday.

The standard definition for a habitable planet is one that can sustain life for a significant period of time. As far as researchers know, this requires a planet to have liquid water. To detect this water from space, it must be on the planet’s surface.

What makes the Earth habitable? It is the right distance from the Sun, it is protected from harmful solar radiation by its magnetic field, it is kept warm by an insulating atmosphere, and it has the right chemical ingredients for life, including water and carbon.

Like Uranus, Neptune has a dynamic atmosphere with a shroud of cold clouds. The average cloud temperature ranges from about -240 degrees to -330 degrees F. Voyager II found the clouds to be ever changing and rapidly circling the planet.

Temperatures on Mars average about -81 degrees F. However, temperature’s range from around -220 degrees F. in the wintertime at the poles, to +70 degrees F. over the lower latitudes in the summer.

The atmosphere of Mars is also rich in carbon dioxide (above 96%), but it is extremely thin (1% of Earth’s atmosphere), very dry and located further away from the Sun. This combination makes the planet an incredibly cold place. The absence of water makes the temperature on Mars change a lot.

In orbit, Mars is about 50 million miles farther away from the Sun than Earth. That means it gets a lot less light and heat to keep it warm. Mars also has a hard time holding onto the heat it does get. So if you plan to visit, better bring a space suit to keep warm — Mars really is a pretty ‘cool’ planet.

During winter, temperatures near the poles can get down to -195 degrees F (-125 C). A summer day on Mars may get up to 70 degrees F (20 C) near the equator – with the highest temperature shown by NASA at a balmy 86 degrees F (30 C).

The first successful flyby of Mars was on 14–15 July 1965, by NASA’s Mariner 4. On November 14, 1971, Mariner 9 became the first space probe to orbit another planet when it entered into orbit around Mars.

Mars is the best planet because Mars and Earth have more in common than any other worlds in the solar system. It cowers next to humongous Jupiter, but unlike that gas giant, its hard surface beckons visitors.

eight days

It completes one revolution around the sun in just 88 Earth days. If you lived on Mercury, you’d have a birthday every three months! A day on Mercury is not like a day here on Earth. For us, the sun rises and sets each and every day.