Information About Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun. It is the largest planet in the solar system. Its mass is more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the solar system combined. It is also known as a ‘Gas Giant’. Here are some interesting facts about planet Jupiter.
Basic Facts About Planet Jupiter
- Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun. It is the largest planet in the solar system.
- There are lots of clouds on Jupiter, so that the planet look like it has stripes. Their colors come from swirling ice, water, and gases. The lowest clouds are blue, and the middle clouds are brown and white. The highest clouds are red.
- Jupiter has 95 known moons, out of which the 4 largest moons are Ganymede, Callisto, lo, and Europa. Collectively known as ‘Galilean Moons‘ and they are visible from Earth with binoculars on clear night.
- Jupiter has many storms. One storm is called the Great Red Spot and has lasted more than 400 years. It is larger than Earth and can be seen through telescopes.
- Jupiter and Earth are very different. Earth is made up of rocks. Jupiter is made up of ice and gases. Jupiter does not have a surface to walk and air to breathe.
- One day on Jupiter is about 10 hours long, this means it takes only 10 hours to complete one rotation. It has the shortest day in our solar system.
- Jupiter completes one orbit around the Sun in approximately 12 Earth years.
- Jupiter is named after the chief god of the divine Pantheon in both the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, Zeus to the Greeks and Jupiter to the Romans. In 1976 it was formally named Jupiter by the International Astronomical Union
Jovian Planets :
Jovian planets are opposite to terrestrial planets. Terrestrial planets are rocky planets composed primarily of silicates, rocks, or metals, within the Solar System on the other hand Jovian planets are gas giants. Jovian planets have lots of moons and rings. Jovian planets are farther from the sun, and they are much larger in size than that of terrestrial planets. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are Jovian planets, out of which Jupiter and Saturn are Gas giants, which are principally made up of hydrogen and helium with a likely molten core with a rocky composition. Uranus and Neptune are Ice giants and their atmosphere mainly made up of hydrogen, helium, and methane.
Interesting facts about planet Jupiter :
- Jupiter’s moon lo the same size as Earth’s moon. Europa is next to lo and it is covered with ice. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system.
- Jupiter’s gravity is 2.4 times that of Earth. That means if you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 240 pounds on Jupiter.
- Jupiter has a strongest magnetic field than any other planet in the solar system.
- It takes sunlight 43 minutes to travel from the sun to Jupiter.