Average Surface Temperatures of All Planets: There are eight planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, with Pluto now categorised as a dwarf planet.
Planets’ temperatures are largely influenced by their structural characteristics and proximity to the Sun. However, Venus notably presents a unique case, as its thick atmosphere generates a greenhouse effect, resulting in surface temperatures that exceed the melting point of lead.
Mercury, on the contrary, has a slow rotation and a sparse atmosphere, which results in the temperature difference between its day and night sides reaching more than 1000°F, with night-time temperatures plummeting to as low as -290°F (-179°C), according to NASA.
Meanwhile, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune temperature readings are taken at atmospheric levels corresponding to sea level pressure on Earth.
Undoubtedly, the Sun has the hottest temperature, with its core being the hottest, where temperatures top 27 million°F (15 million°C), whereas its surface – the photosphere – is a relatively cool 10,000 °F (5,500°C).
Whereas, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, gets hotter the farther it stretches from the surface, and can reach up to 3.5 million°F (2 million°C) – much, much hotter than the photosphere.
The planets have been ranked according to the mean temperatures of various destinations in our solar system by NASA, with the planets not to scale. Notably, the surface temperatures of the planets decrease as the distance from the Sun increases.
Rank | Planet/Dwarf Planet | Temperature (°F) | Temperature (°C) |
1 | Venus | 867°F | 464°C |
2 | Mercury | 333°F | 167°C |
3 | Earth | 59°F | 15°C |
4 | Mars | -85°F | -65°C |
5 | Jupiter | -166°F | -110°C |
6 | Saturn | -220°F | -140°C |
7 | Uranus | -320°F | -195°C |
8 | Neptune | -330°F | -200°C |
9 | Pluto (Dwarf) | -375°F | -225°C |
Source: NASA/Solar System Temperatures