| the sun together with all the planets and other bodies that revolve around it. |
| solar system n.
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The region of the universe near the sun that includes the sun, the nine known major planets and their moons or satellites, and objects such as asteroids and comets that travel in independent orbits. The major planets, in order of their average distance from the sun, are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.