Figure 5-11 The Sun and the Planets This figure shows the eight planets drawn to size scale in order of their distances from the Sun (distances are not to scale). The four planets that orbit nearest the Sun (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) are small and made of rock and metal. The next two planets (Jupiter and Saturn) are large and composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. Uranus and Neptune are intermediate in size and contain roughly equal amounts of ices, hydrogen and helium, and terrestrial material.