Jupiter (disambiguation): Difference between revisions

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#REDIRECT [[Jupiter (planet)]]
'''Jupiter''' is the fifth [[planet]] from the [[Sun]]. It is a [[gas giant]] (also known as the Jovian planet).
[[Image:Jupiter NASA-JPL.jpg|right|thumb|350px|{{#ifexist:Template:Jupiter NASA-JPL.jpg/credit|{{Jupiter NASA-JPL.jpg/credit}}<br/>|}}color-enhanced image of Jupiter taken by Voyager 1 March 1979]]
==Parameters for classification as a planet==
Jupiter is classified as a planet by the International Astronomical Union for meeting the following criteria:<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/planetsf-20060824.html Honey, I Shrunk the Solar System] NASA. “The International Astronomical Union has decided that, to be called a planet, an object must have three traits. It must orbit the sun, be massive enough that its own gravity pulls it into a nearly round shape, and be dominant enough to clear away objects in its neighborhood.”</ref>
*Orbits the sun;
*Has mass sufficient for its gravity to form a nearly round shape;
*Has mass sufficient for gravity to clear a path in its orbit.
 
==Physical characteristics==
Jupiter is a little more than five times further away from the Sun than Earth (5.2 AU) and is the most massive of the planets with a total mass of about 318 times that of Earth (318 Earth masses) Its total mass is about 2.5 times all the other planets combined.
*Equatorial Radius: 71,492 km
*Volume: 1.4255 X10e15 km^3
*Mass: 1.8987 X10e27 kg<ref>[http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter Jupiter] NASA</ref>
 
It is composed largely of [[hydrogen]] and [[helium]].  Jupiter's strong internal heat creates a number of semi-permanent features in its atmosphere, such as cloud bands and the Great Red Spot.
===Jupiter's great spot===
[[Image:Great Red Spot NASA JPL.jpg|right|thumb|350px|{{#ifexist:Template:Great Red Spot NASA JPL.jpg/credit|{{Great Red Spot NASA JPL.jpg/credit}}<br/>|}}colour image of Jupiter's Great Spot taken February 25, 1979, when Voyager 1 was 9.2 million km (5.7 million mi) from Jupiter]]
Jupiter's red spot is believed to be a giant hurricane a strom rotating within the planet clouds. The first recorded observation was made by Italian-French astronomer Jean-Dominique Cassini in 1655. Three-hundred years later it is still active. The spot is a cold, high-pressure area, 2 to 3 times the diameter of Earth. Its outer edges make a complete rotation in a counter clock-wise motion about once every six days.<ref>[http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960802.html Galileo, Cassini, and the Great Red Spot] NASA </ref>
 
The red spot rises about 8 km above the surrounding clouds. Its red colour is a mystery but current theories posit that it may be caused by material dredged up from the surface of the planet.<ref name=NASAOvalBA>[http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/02mar_redjr.htm Jupiter's new red spot] NASA</ref>
 
===Oval BA===
Jupiter shows a number of other storms that are much smaller than the Great Red Spot. However, in June of 2000, a number of these smaller storms were seen to coalesce and form a larger storm center. The storm, labled Oval BA (aka Red Spot Jr.) has since developed a reddish colour and looks very much like the Great Red Spot though much smaller.<ref name=NASAOvalBA/>
 
==Rotational characteristics==
Jupiter has a rotational period (a complete rotation on its axis) of 9.842 hours and a polar tilt of 3°.<ref name=NMMOrbits>[http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.393 The orbits of the planets] National Maritime Museum</ref>
 
==Orbital characteristics==
Jupiter has an orbital period (sidereal year) of 11.68 earth years. Jupiter has an average distance from the Sun of 778,412,020 km.<ref>[http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter Jupiter] NASA</ref> At is closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) it is nearly 5 times the distance of the Earth from the Sun (4.95 AU). At its furthest distance from the Sun (aphelion) it is 5.45 AU from the Sun.<ref name=NMMOrbits/>
 
==Natural satellites==
Jupiter has sixty-three satellites.  The four largest, [[Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede]], [[Callisto (moon)|Callisto]], [[Io (moon)|Io]], and [[Europa (moon)|Europa]] show similarities to the terrestrial planets, such as volcanism and internal heating.<ref>{{cite web|title= Geology of the Icy Galilean Satellites: A Framework for Compositional Studies|author=Pappalardo, R T|work=Brown University|year=1999|url=http://www.agu.org/cgi-bin/SFgate/SFgate?&listenv=table&multiple=1&range=1&directget=1&application=fm99&database=%2Fdata%2Fepubs%2Fwais%2Findexes%2Ffm99%2Ffm99&maxhits=200&=%22P11C-10%22|accessdate= 2006-01-16 }}</ref> Ganymede, the largest satellite in the Solar System, is larger than Mercury.
 
==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
 
==External Links ==
*[http://heritage.stsci.edu/1999/29/index.html Jupiter's Great Red Spot] Hubble Heritage Project

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