Looking for facts about Jupiter? You’re not exactly lost, then. In case you were not aware, Jupiter is the largest planet in the Sol System (the name of our solar system). It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in our solar system combined and is just under one one-thousandth the mass of the Sun.
For more facts about Jupiter, read on.
1 Jupiter is 318 times the size of Earth
As mentioned, Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is 318 times the size of Earth. It’s so enormous in fact, that even if you added all the planets in the solar system together it would still be 2.5x bigger.
Did you know this about Jupiter?
If Jupiter got any bigger, it would actually get smaller. Any more mass and the planet would start pulling itself in. There are some Astronomers who believe that Jupiter could remain at its current size even if you quadrupled its current mass.
2 Jupiter is the fastest-spinning planet in the solar system.
Big doesn’t always mean lumbering. Jupiter spins on its axis at 28,148 mph or 45,300 km/h. This is much faster than Earth at its surface, which clocks in at around 1,000 mph or 1,609 km/h.
Did you know?
Because it is spinning so quickly, the planet has flattened at the north and south poles, while bulging at the equator.
3 Jupiter has the highest gravity in the solar system
Gravity is measured in g or m/s2, with Earth gravity setting as a measurement standard of sorts. Gravity is dependent on the mass, size and density of an object. On Earth, we are used to living in a steady pull of 1 G while Jupiter, enjoys a steady pull of 2.528 g. This is the kind of force you would expect to experience on a high-g rollercoaster.
Did you know?
If you were able to stand on Jupiter, the gravity would increase your weight substantially. Imagine that you weighed in at 10 stone, or 140 pounds, on Earth, on Jupiter you would weigh 25.2 stone or 352 pounds – that’s roughly 5 1/2 Dalmatians.
4 Jupiter has the shortest day of all planets
A day on Jupiter is called a Jovian day. It takes just 9 hours, 55 minutes and 30 seconds to spin on its axis in a full rotation. This is just over a third the length of an Earth day.
Did you know?
All of the gas giants have shorter days than Earth. Uranus has the longest day of these planets with 17 hours, and Saturn has the shortest with just 11 hours.
5 More facts about Jupiter: It has the biggest moon in the solar system
Of the 79 moons of Jupiter, Ganymede is the largest is the biggest and also the largest in the solar system. Ganymede is actually larger than planet Mercury. If it was not in orbit of Jupiter, playing the role of one of its moons, its characteristics could label it a dwarf planet.
Did you know this?
Ganymede is not just the largest moon, it holds another title because of the fact that it is the only moon that we know of that has its own internally generated magnetic field.
6 The Red Spot of Jupiter Red is an enormous storm
The storm is classed as the largest storm in the solar system. It is named the Great Red Spot and it has a diameter of 14,913 miles, or 24,000 km and a height of between 7,456 and 8,699 miles or 12,000 – 14,000 km. This is three times the diameter of Earth.
Did you know?
Scientists believe that the 360-year-old (at least!) storm has been shrinking. Based on Gian Domenico Cassini’s observations in 1665, The Great Red Spot was estimated to be 24,854 miles or 40,000 km in diameter. If correct, it has shrunk by 9,942 miles or 16,000 km. Astronomers don’t know if it will disappear eventually, but they are fairly sure that another one will emerge.
7 Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system
There have been over 400 volcanoes discovered on Io so far, with approximately 150 of them erupting at any given time. Their eruptions spit sulfur, sulfur dioxide and fragments into the atmosphere at heights of up to 310 miles or 500 km into space.
Did you know this?
There are just four volcanically active worlds in the solar system. These are Jupiter’s Io, Earth, Saturn’s moon Enceladus and Neptune’s moon Triton.
8 Nine spacecraft have been to visit Jupiter
Apart from Earth, since we live here, Jupiter is the most visited planet in our solar system. Exploration started with Pioneer 10 in 1973 and since then there have been 8 further missions to analyse both Jupiter and its moons.
Did you know?
Of all the facts about Jupiter, this may interest you. In December 1995, The Galileo spacecraft (named after the astronomer) became the first and only spacecraft to successfully send a probe into Jupiter’s atmosphere.
9 Jupiter has 79 moons
Scientists keep discovering new moons as technology improves. For instance, in 2016, scientists had officially discovered 67 moons. This gave it the title of the planet with the most moons. Since then, however, a further 10 have now been found taking the total up to 79. 53 of these have names and 26 are waiting to be ‘christened’.
Did you know?
In 2019, a technological advancement led to the discovery of a further 20 moons orbiting Saturn. This knocked Jupiter off the top spot, with Saturn now officially having 82 moons, closely followed by Jupiter at 79.
10 Jupiter has 4 rings
The ring system was discovered by the Voyager 1 space probe, in 1979. Jupiter’s rings are reddish in colour apart from the halo ring (the ring closest to the planet) and is neutral or blue in colour.
Did you know this?
Jupiter’s rings are so faint that from Earth the largest available telescopes are needed to see them
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