Feb 23, 2018

240. Jupiter

There are many incredible planets in our solar system, but Jupiter is extraordinary because of its many different colored stripes and its red spots that has seemed to never seize to exist. Jupiter is a gas giant, and is the fifth planet from the sun. It is the largest planet in the solar system. Jupiter is also the brightest planet in space and Jupiter’s gases give off a unique color of stripes that are fascinating to watch. Unlike its stripes, there is a red spot that is wider across than Earth.

Jupiter contains many gases that include hydrogen and helium, and it has no solid surface which makes it difficult for any organism to adapt. For years, scientists thought that Saturn was the only planet that was surrounded by rings, but, they have found that Jupiter has thin rings that surround it which are made from tiny rocks and dust. Jupiter has more than 67 moons which are very small. Out of the 67 moons, only four are big moons, which are, Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede. Jupiter's moons, Io, Europa, and Callisto, might have water that turned to ice beneath their surfaces.

Jupiter takes 12 Earth years to complete one orbit. Inside Jupiter, there is hot, red liquid that goes up to 45,000 degrees. Jupiter is the oldest planet in the solar system because it formed less than a million years after the big bang, and the core is 5o times that mass of Earth. Jupiter also has traces of ammonia and water in the clouds, making the planet very cold. It takes sunlight 43 minutes to travel from the sun to Jupiter. Jupiter’s red spot goes 217 miles deep. Since Jupiter has different layers, one layer contain storms, but, the red spot is the biggest storm.

The layer is also partially blue, but is impossible to see in space without a telescope because Jupiter’s red, orange and brown hues cover up the light blue tint. Jupiter is like the sun because of its many gases, so scientists have a theory that Jupiter might have the same fate as the sun and will take many years to exhaust.

Bibliography:
            Newsela.com