The Largest Planet: Jupiter
By Sushant Ramesh
Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System and is bigger than all of the other planets combined. It is the fifth planet in our Solar System and has lots of moons. It is considered a gas giant and is made up of many gases. It also has rings, but they are not noticed.
What is Jupiter Made Up Off?
Jupiter is made up of gas. It contains helium and hydrogen. These are the main components, but there many other gases under these categories. There is Metallic Hydrogen, molecular hydrogen, methane gas and then the mantle is made up of water and ice. The earths mantle is lava and is opposite of Jupiter's.
The Great Red Spot
Jupiter, like Earth has storms. The Great Red Spot has gotten it's name for many reasons. One of them is it's size. The red spot is 3 times Earth's diameter! The great red spot is also great due to it's age. It moves like a hurricane, but a hurricane only lasts a few hours, while the Great Red Spot has been brewing for the last few centuries.
Io
- Is the third largest of Jupiters moons
- Is the fifth furthest one from the planet
- Was discovered in Jan. 8 ,1610
Ganymade
- Is the largest moon in the Solar System (Is larger than Pluto, Mercury and is 3/4 of Mars)
- Is the 7th furthest moon from Jupiter
- Was discovered in Jan. 8, 1610
Europa
- It is considered the only place in our Solar System besides earth to have water
- If it does have water it would have twice the amount of water as earth
- Is slightly smaller than our moon
In 1994 comet Shoemaker-Levy was torn apart by Jupiter's gravity. This comet had a huge chance to hit earth and Jupiter completely shattered it.