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Planet Profile: Diameter: 88,700 miles Average Temperature Ranges: -236 F Average Day: approximately 9 hours, 55 minutes Average Year: approximately 12 earth years Number of Moons (Satellites): 16 |
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is the fifth planet from the sun. The four great moons of Jupiter were discovered by Galileo Galilei in January, 1610. They are called the "Galilein Moons" after their discoverer. Their names are: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Ganymede is Jupiter's largest moon and also the largest moon in our solar system. Europa is the brightest of Jupiter's Galilein Moons. Callisto has the least amount of activity on it, for example there are very few earth quakes or volcanoes. The Galilein Moons are located in the inner-regions of the magnetosphere and are subjected to intense radiation bombardment.
The United States launched the "Galileo" space craft in October, 1989. The unmanned space craft reached Jupiter in 1995 and made a 22 month study of the planet.
FUN FACTS:
Did you know that if you are 12 years old on the planet Earth, you would only be 1 year old if you were on Jupiter??