Jupiter is the largest planet of the solar system. This enormous planet is referred to as a gas giant. The clouds of hydrogen, ammonia and helium keep whirling around the planet. Incensed winds and huge storms make the whirled colors of Jupiter. There is a lot of stuff not known about the planet. Scientists have figured out that its atmosphere is quite similar to the sun. Jupiter would be a star if its size were a little bigger. There are a lot of mysteries about this planet that remained unsolved. Let’s find out fun facts about Jupiter to know it better.

Here are incredible facts about Jupiter

Diameter

The 5^th planet from the solar system is Jupiter. The diameter of this largest planet is 142, 984 KM.

Gas Giant

Just like planets Saturn, Neptune and Uranus Jupiter is also specified as a gas giant.

Named after Roman God

Jupiter is the name of Roman god so the planet is named after the Roman king of gods.

Composition

Helium (10%) and hydrogen (90%) mainly constitute the planet. Same elements are present in abundance in the sun. But due to less mass fusion reactions cannot occur on the planet. Heavy elements make the core of the rocky planet.

Mass of Jupiter

The mass of the planet is 1.90 x 10²⁷ kg. These figures show Jupiter can fit 318 Earths at the same time. Not only Earth but also all other planets in the solar system can be fit in Jupiter.

Magnetic Field    

The magnetic field of Earth is 14 times less than that of Jupiter. It means Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field in the world. The presence of liquid hydrogen is responsible for the strongest magnetic field.

Visible from Earth

The planet is present in the list of five planets that are visible to naked eye from Earth. The reason is Jupiter is the fourth brightest object in the solar system. The other three brightest objects are the sun, Venus and moon.

Moons of Jupiter

Jupiter has 64 moons that orbit the planet. The set of four large moons that was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610 are called Galilean moons. Out of the four large moons the largest moon is Ganymede. The diameter of this moon is bigger than Jupiter. It has its own magnetic force.

Io is one of the moons of Jupiter and has more volcanoes than any other planet in the solar system.

Europa is another moon of Jupiter with the Liquid Ocean beneath its hard crust.

Great Red Spot

Fierce storms often covered the planet. A massive storm on Jupiter has raged for three and a half centuries. This storm is named the Great Red Spot. This storm has existence since 1655. The storm is so wide that three Earths can fit in it. But with the passage of time it is getting small.

Jupiter Rings

Jupiter rings were discovered in 1979. The Jupiter rings are made of bits of rocks and dust rather than ice unlike Saturn rings. The reason why so many people can’t observe it is because they are so faint.

Distance from Sun

From Jupiter the sun is 778 million KM away. This distance is 5.2 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.

Rotation around the Sun

Jupiter rotates fastest in the Solar System than any other planet. It completes one orbit around its center in just 9 hours. It means the day on Jupiter is 9 hours and 56 minutes long which is less than half than a day on Earth.

One Year on Jupiter

So how long is a year on Jupiter? There are 4, 331 days in one year on Jupiter. It means the planet rotates so slowly around the sun that it completes just a single rotation in 11.86 Earth years.

Temperature on Jupiter

Jupiter has a chilly temperature of -234 degree Fahrenheit. While the temperature at the core is much hotter which is 43, 000 degree Fahrenheit.

First Mission to Jupiter

NASA sent its first spacecraft Pioneer to Jupiter in 1973. Since then more than 7 missions have been to Jupiter. The most recent mission to Jupiter by NASA is Juno spacecraft.

Babylonians Discovery

In the 7^th Century BC Babylonians were the first to discover the planet.

Hope you enjoyed reading fun facts about Jupiter. Share your thoughts about the planet in the comments below.