* The Sun's mass: The Sun accounts for over 99.8% of the total mass of the entire solar system!
* Planets' mass: The remaining 0.2% is divided among all the planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and other objects.
Here's a simple analogy: Imagine a bowling ball (the Sun) and a few tiny grains of sand (the planets). The bowling ball is immensely larger and heavier than all the sand grains combined.
Let's look at some specific examples:
* Jupiter: The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, is about 1/1000th the mass of the Sun.
* Earth: Our planet, Earth, is about 1/333,000th the mass of the Sun.
* Other planets: The other planets are even smaller in comparison.
The Sun's massive size and gravity hold all the planets in our solar system in their orbits. It's the central powerhouse of our solar system, providing the light and heat necessary for life on Earth.
