Jupiter: A Closer Look

By Author: Stephen Cauldry
Total Articles: 60
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Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and is by far the largest in the solar system. In fact, Jupiter is so massive that it's 2.5 times the size of the all the planets combined. Along with Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, Jupiter is classified as a gas giant.

The existence of the planet has been known to astronomers for centuries. Next to the moon and Venus, Jupiter is the brightest object in the sky. Note that on occasion, Mars can exceed it's brightness.

The most notable characteristic of the planet is it's Great Red Spot. This Great Red Spot is a giant storm that has been known to exist since the 17th century. Although Saturn is easily identified by its rings, many people aren't aware that Jupiter has a faint planetary ring system. The planet has at least 63 moons, one of which is larger than the planet Mercury.

Mass

Jupiter dwarfs any other celestial body in our solar system other than the sun. It's size is a bit baffling but some refer to Jupiter as a "failed star". Although this has not been proven scientifically, this notion is generally accepted. The smallest red dwarf star is still 30% larger ...
... than Jupiter.

Jupiter's Moons

As mentioned earlier, Jupiter has at least 63 moons. These moons are so massive they are easily the largest satellites in the solar system. Io, Europa, and Ganymede are among the largest of this group. These 3 moons have an intriguing orbit around Jupiter. For every 4 orbits that Io makes, Europa makes exactly 2, and Ganymede completes 1. This pattern is known as a Laplace resonance.

Galileo discovered Jupiter's 4 largest moons, Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede, using a telescope in 1610. This is believed to be the first observation of moons other than Earth's. This Galilean credit comes not without dispute. Gan De, a Chinese astronomer, is believed to have discovered the moons in 362 BC according to a Chinese astronomy historian named Xi Zezong.

Orbit and Rotation Specs

Jupiter's average distance from the sun is 778 million km. That is 5 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Unlike the Earth, Jupiter has a small axial tilt resulting in it having no seasonal real changes. Jupiter has the fastest rotation of all the planets in the Solar System. It rotates in a mind-numbing 10 hours. This excessive rotation causes a very noticeable bulge that can be seen with an entry-level telescope.

Is There Life?

Jupiter's extreme environment does not leave much room for the possibility of sustainable life. It possesses some basic building blocks of life that could form organic compounds but Jupiter's chances end there at least in the terms of Earth-like life.

Jupiter is much more than just the largest planet in our solar system. It has fascinated astronomers and casual star gazers for millenniums and will continue to do so. The more we learn about our neighboring planets may give us an idea of what other planets are like outside of our solar system.
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