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Earth and the solar system are about 4.6 billion years old; the universe is about 13.8 billion years old. By those rounded estimates, the universe is roughly three times as old as Earth and the solar system. The more precise figure of 4.568 billion years refers to early solid material found in primitive meteorites—not to an exact moment when Earth was fully formed.

How old are Earth, the solar system, and the universe?

What is being dated Approximate age What the figure means
Earth and the solar system About 4.6 billion years NASA’s rounded estimate based on radioactive isotope evidence from Earth materials and asteroids, including meteorites. NASA Science
Early solid material in primitive meteorites 4.568 billion years A measured age for some of the solar system’s earliest solids, used as a benchmark for the solar system’s age—not an exact date for Earth’s completion. NASA Johnson Space Center ARES
The universe About 13.8 billion years NASA’s approximate estimate, based on evidence including the ages of the oldest stars and the universe’s expansion. NASA Science

Subtracting the rounded figures, the universe is about 9.2 billion years older than Earth and the solar system. The difference is approximate because the headline ages are rounded.

Why do sources say 4.5, 4.6, or 4.568 billion years?

Those figures are not competing ages so much as estimates stated at different precision levels or attached to different things. NASA’s Earth facts page gives a rounded age of about 4.5 billion years for Earth’s formation; its general comparison uses about 4.6 billion years for Earth and the solar system. The 4.568-billion-year figure identifies early meteorite material. NASA Facts About Earth NASA Science NASA Johnson Space Center ARES

In other words, a decimal-rich age for an early sample should not be mistaken for a precise timestamp for the formation of the whole planet. Earth formed as the solar system developed, but the meteorite benchmark dates early solids rather than the instant Earth was complete.

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National Geographic Glow in the Dark Solar System Model for Kids Ages 8-12
  • BUILD & DISPLAY A MOVING, GLOWING SOLAR SYSTEM – With this kit, kids can customize all 8 planets and the sun, creating a stunning 3D solar system model that glows in the dark! It’s an awesome addition to any space-themed room.
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How do scientists estimate Earth’s and the solar system’s age?

Scientists use radiometric dating: radioactive isotopes decay at measurable rates, and the proportions of isotopes in a material can help establish when it formed. Evidence from Earth and asteroid materials, including meteorites, supports the estimate for Earth and the solar system. NASA explains that primitive meteorites preserve some of the earliest solid matter; researchers use the age of this material, 4.568 billion years, to determine the solar system’s age. NASA Science NASA Johnson Space Center ARES

Meteorites are pieces of space rock that reach Earth’s surface, and some preserve material from the solar system’s early history. NASA Johnson Space Center ARES

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wookidel 64 PCS Solar System Project Kit, Solar System for Kids
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How do scientists estimate the universe’s age?

The universe does not have a solid sample whose age can be read like a rock’s. NASA describes the estimate as drawing on the ages of the oldest stars and the universe’s expansion rate. Measurements of the Hubble constant—the rate used to describe cosmic expansion—provide one part of that picture. NASA’s Hubble explainer lists measurements around 70–76 kilometers per second per megaparsec and connects them with an age estimate of about 13.8 billion years. That range is for the expansion-rate measurements, not a stated uncertainty interval for the universe’s age. NASA Science NASA Hubble: Hubble Constant and Tension

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  • Variety of Sizes for Visual Learning: The kit includes 10 differently sized foam balls (as pictured) to visually represent the relative scale and hierarchy of the Sun, planets, and Pluto. This hands-on approach helps learners easily observe and understand planetary size relationships.
  • Upgraded Premium Paint Set: Features our enhanced paint set with 12 vibrant colors (increased from 8), each in a larger 5ml pot for richer coverage, longer use, and more creative possibilities.
  • Easy to assemble: You can identify the different planets by writing the planet's name on a blank toothpick flag and inserting it into a foam ball. No glue required, they can be easily assembled using bamboo skewers, create your planetary model to understand how our solar system is arranged.
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How to read the comparison accurately

  • Keep the objects distinct: 13.8 billion years is the universe’s approximate age; about 4.6 billion years is the rounded age of Earth and the solar system.
  • Attach precision to its evidence: 4.568 billion years dates early solid meteorite material used as a solar-system benchmark, not Earth’s exact completion.
  • Recognize the different methods: Earth and solar-system estimates use isotope evidence in material samples; the universe’s estimate draws on oldest-star ages and cosmic expansion.

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