Aspects of Jupiter

Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun, is the largest in our solar system:

• Distance from Sun: Approximately 778 million kilometers (483 million miles)
• Diameter: About 139,820 kilometers (86,881 miles)
• Day Length: 9.9 Earth hours (fastest rotation of any planet)
• Year Length: 11.86 Earth years
• Surface Temperature: -145°C (-234°F) at cloud tops
• Atmosphere: Mostly hydrogen (90%) and helium (10%), with trace elements

Jupiter is a gas giant with remarkable characteristics:

• Famous for its Great Red Spot, a storm larger than Earth
• Colorful bands of clouds due to atmospheric dynamics
• Strong magnetic field, 20,000 times stronger than Earth's
• At least 95 known moons, including the four large Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto
• Faint ring system made of dust particles

In Roman mythology, Jupiter is a central figure:

• Equivalent to Greek god Zeus
• King of the gods, ruler of sky and thunder
• Associated with justice, law, and order
• Often depicted with a thunderbolt and eagle

Jupiter has been studied by several space missions:

• First close observations by Pioneer 10 and 11 in 1973-1974
• Voyager 1 and 2 provided detailed images in 1979
• Galileo orbiter (1995-2003) studied planet and moons extensively
• Juno mission (2016-present) investigates atmosphere and interior
• Future missions like ESA's JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) planned for 2030s

Learn More About Juno