Image: Jupiter Image Credit: Encarta Encyclopedia  

	Mighty Planet Jupiter.  It is the fifth planet from the sun, and has almost 1400 times more volume than that of Earth.  Yet, it consists mostly of gas, the two most lightest and abundant known elements, helium and hydrogen.  Because there is such an abundance of hydrogen, other elements such as methane, ammonia, and water are also present.  The ammonia, because it freezes at -193F, forms giant white cirrus clouds that form zones, ovals, and plumes that are identified with the planet Jupiter. The ammonia mixes with other compounds to give the planet its sandy red color.  Probably the most famous part of Jupiter is its Great Red Spot.  It's ocher-color is caused from traces of compounds formed by ultraviolet light, lightning discharge, and heat mixed together.
Jupiter, Ruler of all Gods in Roman Mythology. In Greek mythology, Jupiter was Zeus, king of the Sky and of all the Olympian Gods Image Credit: Gods and Goddesses	Image Credit: Encarta Encyclopedia	The oval marks on Jupiter's surface are from when comet Shoemaker broke apart and the pieces hit the surface.   Much information wa gathered from this because the impact caused gases to come up from the internal portions of the planet.
Jupiter has sort of been a mystery for astronomer's and scientists. The largest planet, yet its entirely made up of gas, although there is a theory that in the core there may be some solid material.  Some scientists believe jupiter to be the remain of the great interstellar dust and gas cloud that the solar system formed from 4.6 billion years ago.

 

Jupiter surrounded by four largest moons; Europa(center), Callisto(lower left), Io(upper left), and Ganymede(lower right) Image Credit: Encarta Encyclopedia

Jupiter has 16 moons, which are also called satellites.  The four largest ones were discovered by Galileo in 1610.  These are Io, Europe, Ganymede, and Callisto.  Io and Europa are more like the planets closer to the sun, they are more rocky and dense.  Callisto and Ganymede are mostly ice water and with low densities.  Jupiters moons are also quite large; if Ganymede and Callisto orbited the sun they would be considered planets.  Callisto is almost as big as Mercury, and Ganymede is bigger than Mercury.  Of all the moons though, Io is the most remarkable and bizzare.  Its surface is yellow and brown, with black and white patches.  Volcanoes also cover its surface.  While Voyager flew by in 1979, ten volcanoes were erupting, and that was just on the side that Voyager was passing.   Image: Io Image Credit: Encarta Encyclopedia

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Created by ThinkQuest Team 23830

Last Updated August 28, 1998.

All images, unless otherwise credited, are credit of M. Mathis, 1998.