JUPITER

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and is the largest one in the solar system. If Jupiter were hollow, more than one thousand Earths could fit inside. Jupiter possesses 16 satellites, four of which -Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and Io - were observed by Galileo as long ago as1610. The Great Red Spot is a complex storm moving in a counter-clockwise direction.

Jupiter is so large we can see it without a telescope on most clear nights. Many people mistake Jupiter for a bright star but it is easy to tell it is a planet. Planets do not twinkle as stars do because they are so much closer to Earth than the stars. Our atmosphere makes stars flash. With a set of good binoculars we can even make out some of Jupiter's moons. Venus is our "morning star" and Jupiter becomes our "evening star". For this reason, Jupiter seems to be one of the most popular planets to look at.

Jupiter Statistics

Equatorial radius (km) ............................... 71,492

Mean distance from the Sun (km) ................. 778,330,000

Rotational period (hours) ............................. 9.841

Orbital period (years) .............................. 11.8623

Atmospheric composition Hydrogen ............................................ 90% Helium .............................................. 10%

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