Jupiter
The largest planet in the solar system, everyone can recognise this striped planet. Because this planet is mostly hydrogen (about 90%) and helium (about 10%) (Saturn is also mostly hydrogen and helium, but isn't as large or dense), if it was just larger by some amount, it would've become a star.
Jupiter Stats
Average Distance from Sun: 778.57 million km
Perihelion: 740.52 million km Aphelion: 816.62 million km Mass: 317.83 times Earth Equatorial Diameter: 142 984 km Polar Diameter: 133 708 km Volume: 1321.33 times Earth Temperature: -93 C to -163 C Rotation: 9.925 hours Revolution: 4330.595 Earth days Moons: 67+ (50 >10 km across) Rings: 4 Type: Jovian planet Namesake: Jupiter was the Roman lord of the sky and king of the Roman gods. His Greek form is Zeus. |
Jupiter Facts
- JUPITER HAS/HAD A GREAT RED SPOT. The Great Red Spot was three times the length of Earth, being 40 000 km long, with a lifetime of just over 350 years. It appears red due to the Sun's radiation reacting with the gases of the Great Red Spot. It will still be remembered long after it disappears. There has also been another red spot dubbed Red Spot Jr., which is currently growing in size (unlike the Great Red Spot, which has been shrinking). Winds on Jupiter reach up to 650 km/h, measured in the Great Red Spot and Red Spot Jr.
- JUPITER'S STRIPES are caused by certain gases. It's white zones are from ammonia and reddish-brownish stripes are from hydrosulfide.
- JUPITER HAS A HOT CORE. Earth's core is 5500 C, as hot as the Sun's surface, but Jupiter's is MUCH hotter: 35 700 C! This heat is what drives the planet's storms. Jupiter is also known to emit radiation that is lethal to humans.
- JUPITER HAS A HUGE MAGNETIC FIELD, the largest of all the planets. Like Saturn, it is generated by the interior of the planet, but a bit different from Earth's core. Instead, beneath Jupiter's (and Saturn's) atmosphere, hydrogen gas is compressed and heated into a liquid. Deeper down, this hydrogen liquid is pressurised to the point it behaves like a metal!
- JUPITER HAS 4 RINGS. They are made of dust particles and are can't be easily seen. They begin 92 000 km from Jupiter and stretch out to a distance of 225 000 km.
- JUPITER HAS A LARGE VOLUME, you can fit all the planets inside of it and still have a little bit of room for more!
- JUPITER HAS 67 MOONS, 50 of which are more than 10 km across. The largest, Ganymede, is the largest moon in the solar system and larger than Mercury!