Embedded Files
If Earth were the size of a grape, Jupiter would be about as big as a basketball. It's diameter is 86881 miles (139822km). As a gas giant, Jupiter doesn’t have a true surface. The planet is mostly swirling gases and liquids. The gas planet likely has three distinct cloud layers in its "skies" that, taken together, span about 44 miles (71km). The top cloud is probably made of ammonia ice, while the middle layer is likely made of ammonium hydrosulfide crystals. The innermost layer may be made of water ice and vapor. Jupiter has the shortest day in the solar system. One day on Jupiter takes only about 10 hours, and Jupiter makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Jovian time) in 4,333 Earth days. Temperatures on Jupiter can range from -256°F (-160°C) at 50 km above the surface to 1,340°F (725°C) at the top of the atmosphere. Jupiter has 95 moons that are officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union. The four largest moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto – were first observed by the astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610 using an early version of the telescope. This is also when Galileo first observed Jupiter. Discovered in 1979 by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, Jupiter's rings were a surprise. The rings are composed of small, dark particles, and they are difficult to see except when backlit by the Sun. Jupiter, being the biggest planet, gets its name from the king of the ancient Roman gods, who's Greek counterpart is Zeus.
Fun Facts!:
From an average distance of 484 million miles (778 million kilometers), Jupiter is 5.2 astronomical units away from the Sun. One astronomical unit (abbreviated as AU), is the distance from the Sun to Earth. From this distance, it takes sunlight 43 minutes to travel from the Sun to Jupiter.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft, measuring Jupiter’s gravity and magnetic field, found data suggesting the core is much larger than expected, and not solid. Instead, it’s partially dissolved, with no clear separation from the metallic hydrogen around it, leading researchers to describe the core as dilute, or “fuzzy.”
. The Great Red Spot, a swirling oval of clouds twice as wide as Earth, has been observed on the giant planet for more than 300 years. More recently, three smaller ovals merged to form the Little Red Spot, about half the size of its larger cousin.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse