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From SCIFIPEDIA
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- For other uses of Jupiter see Jupiter (disambiguation).
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest planet in the solar system. It is a gas giant approximately eleven times the diameter of Earth and an average of 483,780,000 miles (778,570,000 kilometers) from the sun. The planet is named for the king of the Roman gods.
The planet's surface is covered with yellow, brown, red and white clouds and has no solid surface. It rotates faster than any planet making a a day approximately 9 hours and 56 minutes. Its rotation causes it to bulge at the equator making the planet 7 percent larger at its equator than at the poles.
Jupiter is the heaviest planet but is only slightly more dense than water due to its composition of mainly hydrogen and helium gasses. The planet may have a solid core significantly larger than Earth. The atmosphere is mainly comprised of hydrogen, helium, and smaller amounts of methane, ammonia, phosphine, water, acetylene, ethane, germanium, and carbon monoxide. The chemicals result in the Jupiter' colorful layers.
Jupiter's most famous surface feature is the Great Red Spot. The spot resembles a hurricane about three times the size of Earth and circulates at 225 miles per hour. The feature has been recorded since the invention of telescopes capable of witnessing the feature in the late 17th century.
Satellites
Jupiter has 16 Satellites measuring at least six miles in diameter. The largest of Jupiter's moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, known as the Galilean satellites after the astronomer who discovered them. The planet has three faint rings made up of fine dust particles. The largest is twenty miles thick and 4, 000 miles (6, 400 kilometers) wide. In total, Jupiter has 28 moons, several remain unnamed and are believed to be asteroids captured by the planet's gravity.
Inner Moons
Adrastea
Discovered in 1979 by David Jewett and named after the goddess of reward and punishment
Amalthea
Discovered in 1892 by Edward Emerson Barnard, Amalthea is named after the nymph who nursed Jupiter with goat's milk. Amalthea is irregularly shaped on one of the planet's smaller satellites.
Metis
Discovered in 1979 by Synnott and named after the Titaness Metis, first wife of Jupiter.
Thebe
Discovered by Synnott in 1979 and named after a nymph, daughter of the river god Asopus.
Galilean Moons
Moons discovered by Galileo are the largest satellites of Jupiter.
Callisto
Named after a Nymph loved by Zeus and transformed by his wife Hera into a bear, Callisto is the second largest satellite of Jupiter, similar in size to the planet Mercury
Europa
Named after Phonecian princess abducted by Zeus, Europa has a smooth surface under which scientists believe may be a liquid ocean heated by the planet's core.
Io
Discovered in the 17th century by Galileo, Io is one of the only four moons visible using the equipment available to Galileo. It is the third largest of Jupiter's moons.
Ganymede
Named after a Trojan boy abducted by Zeus, Ganymede is the largest of Jupiter's moons. Scientists believe it may have a liquid ocean beneath its icy surface.
Outer Moons
- Ananke – Discovered in 1951 by Nicholson and named for the mother of Adrastea
- Caeme – Discovered in 1938 by Nicholson and named for the mother of Britomartis
- Elara – Discovered by Perinne in 1905 and named after the mother of the giant Tityus
- Himalia – Discovered by Perinne in 1904 and named after a nymph
- Leda – Ninth moon from Jupiter named after the Queen of Spartan mother of Pollux and Helen of Troy
- Lysithea – Discovered in 1938 by Nicholson named after the daughter of Oceanus
- Pasiphae – Discovered by P. Melotte in 1908, and named for the wife of Minos and mother of the Minotaur
- Sinope – Discovered by Nicholson in 1914 and named after a woman courted by Jupiter.
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