Jupiter is the fifth distance from the sun of the planet (after Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars).
Ancient astronomers called this planet with the name of the ancient Roman God of heaven, thunder, lightning and rain. Jupiter - a real giant, the biggest planet Solar system. For the naked eye, this is a bright yellow shine, which its glitter eclipses all the planets, with the exception of the moon and Venus. It shines even brighter than Sirius - the brightest star in our chaise.
According to the astronomical classification, Jupiter is a gas giant, as well as Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. However, the weight of Jupiter is 2 times higher than the weight of all the other planets of the solar system, combined! However, the mass of Jupiter is still 1000 times less than the mass of the sun. If we compare with the Earth, then the radius of Jupiter is 11.2 times more than our native planet; The giant is 1300 times more land in volume and 318 times - by weight. And this is despite the fact that the density of Jupiter is 4 times less than the density of the Earth - after all, it consists of gas and liquid, and not solid. Because of the huge mass, gravity (attraction force) on Jupiter 2.5 times more than on Earth. This means that a person weighing 50 kg on earthly conditions, 125 kg weighed on Jupiter.
Jupiter
Jupiter has a powerful atmosphere of 50 km high, consisting of 90% of hydrogen and by 10% helium. Ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonium hydrosulfide, water and other simple compounds that form clouds are also found in the lower layers of the atmosphere. Most of the Jupiter is in a liquid state. The upper layer is a mixture of hydrogen and helium with a thickness of 20 thousand km, gradually changing its condition towards the kernel from gaseous to liquid, under the influence of temperature and pressure. Under the liquid hydrogen layer, under pressure of 3 million terrestrial atmospheres, there is a sea of \u200b\u200bliquid metal hydrogen with a depth of 40 thousand km. In the center of Jupiter, there is a solid core, which is 1.7 times in its size, exceeds our planet, and in terms of density 10-30 times more denser of the earth's core.
There are no clear boundaries between gaseous and liquid hydrogen phases, therefore there are no clear boundaries on the jupiter between the layers.
Jupiter's structure
As you can see, although this giant is called gas, a substance in a gaseous state on it is relatively few: those simple substances and compounds that are known to us in the Earth conditions as gases, on Jupiter under the action of monstrous pressure are in a liquid state. So there is no solid surface on Jupiter. And if it were, it would be impossible for it to be without fears to be crushed atmosphere.
Hydrogen on Jupiter in the lower layers under the action of unimaginable pressure acquires an amazing property - becomes metal and is an excellent conductor of electricity. Metal hydrogen, as well as metal helium create a powerful magnetic field of Jupiter - the strongest magnetic field in our solar system (of course, after sunny): It extends more than 7 million kilometers towards the Sun, and in the opposite direction - almost to the Saturn orbit . Powerful magnetic currents cause sustainable polar radiances on Jupiter. They appear due to the fact that the magnetic field of the gas giant twists the trajectories of charged particles of the solar wind and directs them to the poles of the planet. Finding into the atmosphere, these particles take off the electrons from the gas molecules for a while, after which the electric field of the ions occurred attracts electrons back. As a result of the reunification of electrons with ions and the restoration of the initial neutral molecules, polar radiances are emitted.
picture in ultraviolet with a Hubble telescope
White specks are magnetic tubes that connect Jupiter with its satellites:
A bright spot on the left - with IO, the stain below the center - with a car, and a small speech to the right and below it - with Europe.
Jupiter has radiation belts similar to the radiation belts of the Earth, but superior to their strength and sizes 14 times. This giant planet is a strong radio source, capable of hard to damage any spacecraft that flew to it too close.
Attentive reader, probably, noticed that chemical composition Jupiter is very similar to the star: it consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. But the star of the giant is still not given: so that he began to shrink and warmed up to such an extent so that the inmoaluclear reactions characteristic of stars began in its depths, he needs to be 80 times harder! Therefore, astronomers call it a "failed star."
However, Jupiter radiates heat by 60% more than getting from the sun. It is assumed that heat release occurs due to the compression of the planet, which began in the process of its formation.
In the atmosphere of Jupiter, the ambitious atmospheric phenomena - hurricanes and vortices are constantly raging, which are many times superior to similar earthly events and reach a speed of 500 km / h. Winds in the atmosphere of Jupiter are due not to solar radiation, as on Earth, and inner warm planet.
Vortices and powerful winds determine interesting feature Jupiter - his strip. Each such strip is the streams of the substance, and within the limits of adjacent bands, the wind direction is opposite, and the speed is different:
Movement of clouds in the atmosphere of Jupiter
(Photo and NASA Animation)
Color strips is associated with their composition and physical properties. Light zones are areas of high pressure and ascending flows. The clouds that form these zones are arranged at an altitude of 20 km, and their light color is explained by the increased concentration of bright white ammonia crystals. Dark belts are located below; These are areas of downstream. They consist, presumably, from red-brown ammonium hydrosulfide crystals and have a higher temperature. At the boundaries of the belts and zones there are numerous strong twists. One such a huge whirlwind, visible as a red spot, astronomers are observed from the XVII century. It is called: a big red stain. This is the most powerful whirl in the solar system. In his diameter, 3 planets such as the Earth could fit (and 100 years ago it was 2 times more). The substance of a large red spot rotates at a speed of more than 500 km / h and makes full turn for 6 terrestrial days.
(Photo of the automatic interplanetary station "Cassini")
(Photo "Voyager-1")
Despite its massiveness, Jupiter - the champion in the solar system at the speed of rotation around its axis: the day on Jupiter lasts a little less than 10 hours. Because of such rapid rotation, the planet is noticeably flattened: its equatory radius is 6.49% more polar.
Year in Jupiter, that is, the period of complete treatment around the Sun is about 12 terrestrial years.
Jupiter satellites consist of solid materials. Now they are more than 60. The largest - Io, Callisto, Gamornad and Europe. These satellites are called "Galilean", because they were opened by Galileo Galilee in 1610 they are visible even in good binoculars. IO is the most active satellite in the solar system for geological activity: there are more than 400 active volcanoes on it, and all it is covered with frozen lava. On IO, you can observe a kind of explosions, while the satellite substance is thrown high into the atmosphere and then falls again on the planet. Volcanic eruptions thrown out huge amounts of gas (sulfur oxide) into space, which is ionized under the action magnetic field Jupiter and forms a plasma supplementing the magnetosphere of Jupiter.
1. Jupiter is the fifth planet from our Sun and is located between Mars and Saturn. If you think the land is big, then it is just nothing compared to Jupiter, who is the biggest planet of our solar system. If we talk about volume, then 1300 such planets like Earth will fit into Jupiter. Gravity on this "Giant" is 2.5 times more than on Earth. If someone weighing 100 kg standing on the surface of Jupiter, then there it would weigh 250 kg. The mass of Jupiter is 317 times more than the mass of the Earth, as well as 2.5 times more mass of all other planets of the solar system, combined.
2. Jupiter called the Supreme God in Roman mythology. Jupiter was Saturn's son, as well as Brother Pluto and Neptune. The Supreme God was married to Juno, but he had a connection with other women from whom he had children. The 4 largest satellites of Jupiter (IO, Europe, Gamornad, and Callisto) are named after some of the lovers of God Jupiter.
3. These were "Pioneer-10", "Pioneer-11", "Voyager-1", "Voyager-2", "Galileo", "Ulysses", "Cassini" and "new horizons". The first apparatus you visited Jupiter was "Pioneer-10". From the latest studies, the Junon probe, launched in 2011, should be highlighted in 2011, it is assumed that it will reach Jupiter in 2016.
4. When you look at the night sky, the planet Jupiter is the third brightness object. The most bright objects of our solar system are Venus and the Moon. However, Jupiter shines even brighter than the brightest star in the sky - Sirius. In a good binoculars or a small telescope, you can see the white disk of Jupiter, as well as its 4 bright satellites.
5. Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field in our solar system. It is 14 times more than on Earth. Some astronomers believe that such a field is created by the movement of metallic hydrogen inside the planet. Jupiter is a strong radio source, which can greatly damage any spacecraft that flew too close to the "giant planet".
6. Despite its mass, Jupiter is the fastest planet of the solar system. For full rotation, the planet is enough for 10 hours. However, in order to fully fly the sun Jupiter spends 12 years. The rapid rotation of Jupiter is due to the magnetic field, as well as radiation around the planet.
7. Jupiter 4 rings. The most important one of them is left after the collision of meteorites with 4 satellites (Féva, Metide, Adraty and Almaty). Unlike the rings of Saturn, ice was not found in the Rings of Jupiter. Recently, scientists have opened another ring located closest to the planet. He was called halo.
8. Storms on Jupiter and Earth are like something. On Jupiter, the storms usually do not last long, about 3-4 days. However, there are exceptions - months. Hurricanes on Jupiter are always accompanied by lightning and much stronger than storms on Earth. Strong hurricanes occur every 15-17 years, their speed is 150 m / s.
9. Jupiter has 63 satellites. 4 massive satellites (IO, Europe, Gamornad and Callisto), called "Galilean" satellites, were opened in 1610 Galileo Galileem. Ganymed is the largest companion, from the edge to the edge - 5262 km, which makes it more than Planet Mercury. This ice satellite flies around Jupiter for 7 days. Another interesting companion is Io, on which ferocious volcanoes, lakes lava and huge calders. Mountains on IO reach 16 km. This satellite is located to Jupiter closer than the moon to us. Interesting fact: Most of the satellites of Jupiter have no more than 10 km in diameter.
10. In 1665, Astronomer Giovanni Cassini first discovered a big red spot on Jupiter. The stain looks like a giant hurricane anticyclone and a century ago was 40,000 km long. However, at present, its sizes decreased half. A large red spot on the planet Jupiter is the largest atmospheric vortex in the solar system. At its length, it could accommodate 3 planets with the size of the ground. It rotates counterclockwise at a speed of about 435 km / h.
The largest scientific discoveries of 2014
10 main questions about the universe, the answers to which scientists are looking for right now Were the Americans on the moon?
As you know, Jupiter is the largest planet of the solar system. The dimensions of this planet are truly impressive, it is definitely a record holder in size from the planets of the solar system, but planets were opened, which are even more than our Jupiter. But the true size of Jupiter is difficult to determine exactly exactly due to a number of reasons ...
Problems of measurement of the size of Jupiter.
Planet Jupiter is officially named the largest planet in the solar system, but no one knows the real size of this planet. The problem of measuring the size of Jupiter lies in its thick atmosphere in which chemical reactions are constantly occur. All that we see, looking at Jupiter, is his clouds that people take for the real size of the planet, but the true size of Jupiter can be much less.
The thick clouds of the planet interfere with consider its surface, because it is precisely the size of the surface of the planet, we define the size of the planet itself. In the case of Jupiter, the sizes of the surface are taken into account by the visible boundary of the clouds, so scientists can be repelled only from the study of various data obtained from probes in the orbit of Jupiter.
Size of Jupiter and Earth
318 times more than the size of the planet Earth. The mass of Jupiter is very huge, it is huge so much that Jupiter can attract objects flying past him. Also due to the mass of the planet there are static. There were repeatedly recorded cases of how Jupiter attracted and absorbed various space objects into its atmosphere, heading towards the planets of the earth group. If it were not for this "defender", then there would be much more meteorites and asteroids to the ground and could threaten our lives. Because of its sizes, Jupiter has a lot of satellites in its orbits, including.
So the dimensions of Jupiter may have saved our planet no one hundred times. If it were not for Jupiter, then life on Earth could have been destroyed by a meteorite for our planet.
Planets more Jupiter.
Despite the fact that Jupiter is unconditionally the largest planet of the solar system, there are planets that much more Jupiter. These planets are in other star systems and some of them are closer to their star than Jupiter. Being closer to the star, other gas giants have a temperature of much greater than Jupiter, which makes these planets huge. Tres-4 The largest planet from all known 
The weight of any body, as we learned on the school lessons of physics, is determined by the force of attraction, which is directly proportional to the mass of the planet and is inversely proportional to the square of its radius. Thus, it is clear that, depending on the size and size of the planet, the weight of the body placed on the surface of the planet will also change.
Even on Earth, since it is not strictly rowed, the weight of any subject changes depending on the latitude. The land is flattened by the poles and stretched along the equator. Therefore, a person who in the area of \u200b\u200bthe polar circle weighs, let's say, 80 kilograms, will lose about 0.5 kilos at the equator.
And how will the weight of a person on different planets of the solar system?
Mercury
Mercury mass is one twentieth part of the weight of the Earth. Radio astronomy measurements of this planet were first conducted in 1961 by the Americans Howard, Barrett and Hadoc. In the 70s of the last century and in 2011, the "Mariner" and Messenger spacecraft were sent to Mercury. On Mercury, a man weighing 80 kg weigh would barely more than 30 kg.
Venus
This planet is sometimes called the "sister of the Earth", as the mass and dimensions of Venus and the Earth are not too different from each other. Venus is only a little less than our native planet. Studies of Soviet scientists Rocket and Space Corporation "Energia" them. The Queen, who sent the spacecraft "Venus-1" in 1967, showed that human weight here would not be too different from earthly. The weight of 80 kilograms on Venus would decrease to 72 and a half kilos.
Mars
Mars mass is 10.7% of the mass of the Earth. Since the 60s of the last century, Mars is actively studied both by our and foreign scientists. Mission and Phobos (USSR), Mariner, Viking (USA), Mangalian (India), and others were sent here.
Thanks to these studies, we know that on Mars the weight of a person who is equal to 80 kg on Earth will decrease to 30 kg.
Jupiter
The mass of Jupiter is 318 terrestrial masses. Examine Jupiter, the composition of his atmosphere, mass and other parameters managed by the launch of the "Pioneer" spacecraft (USSR), Voyager (USA) and others.
Human weight (if he weighs 80 kg) would reach here 189 kg. It is necessary to take into account that the weight is given for the upper cloud layer, and not for a solid surface, which Jupiter is so deep that the scientists know about the processes occurring there.
Saturn
The mass of this planet is 95 terrestrial masses. Nowadays, Saturn was investigated using the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as the launch of the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft.
On the border of the cloudy layer of Saturn, the weight of any body approaches the earthly, so 80 kilograms here will turn into 73. The fact is that studies have shown an extremely low density of this planet. It is less than the density of water.
Uranus
Studies under the program "Voyager-2" allowed scientists to find out that the uranium mass is equal to 14 terrestrial masses. However, due to the low density, the weight of a person in uranium would have little different from his own weight on earth. 80 kilograms would remain 71 kg.
Neptune
Neptune has a mass equal to 17 terrestrial. On this "Gaza Giant", so much removed from the sun, which sometimes it is called an "ice giant", the weight of a person equal to 80 kg on Earth will reach 90 kilograms.
Pluto
This is a tiny celestial body, the mass of which is 0.0025 by the mass of the Earth (that is, lighter than the Earth 500 times!) It was open in 1930. Soviet scientists in the 1950s expressed the suggestion that Pluto is not a planet in a strict sense, but refers to heavenly bodies, which are called "dwarf planets". In 2006, Pluto lost the "title" of the planet and was ranked as a group of dwarf planets. The weight of which on earth is 80 kilograms, there would be only 5 kilos on Plutonon.
Not so long ago I visited the observatory. In a telescope, I saw the light, reflected from the distant planets-giants of our solar system. They looked at such small things that it became interesting to me: how many times the diameter of each of them is larger than the diameter of the Earth.
Planets giants
Astronomers, among the planets of the system of our star, the giants are named Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter.
Neptune is the first in the planet system, open as a result of calculations. These calculations confirmed the interplanetary probe "Voyager - 2", flew along Neptune in August 1989. Covered Neptune with several layers of the atmosphere (gas planet), and the kernel is ice. It is the fourth in diameter in our star system, and by weight - the third. The average radius is 24,600 km.
Saturn the second on the overall dimensions of the planetary object in the Sun system. It is ranked with the type of gas planets: its average density is inferior to the density of water. Around Saturn is a belt of four rings. The last external ring is less dense. Polar radius Saturn 60 300 km.
Uranus was opened at the end of the 18th century using the observations of the starry sky through the telescope, despite the visibility of his not an armed glance from the Earth. In the center of uranium, the unimaginable amount of ice, which was formed at different temperatures. Equatorial radius of uranium - 25,600 km.
Jupiter is the largest gas planet of our star system with 69 satellites and a "red spot" - a storm which is observed for about 450 years. Equatorial radius of Jupiter - 71 500 km.
The ratio of diameters
From mathematics it is known that the diameter is a radius multiplied by two. The diameter of the Ecquator is 12,756 km. Knowing the radii of gas giants (no matter what), you can calculate how many times the diameter of the Earth is less than planets-giants.
Calculations show the following:
- the diameter of the Earth is about 3.9 times less than the diameter of Neptune;
- the diameter of the Earth is about 4.7 times less than the diameter of Saturn;
- the diameter of the Earth is about 4.01 times less than the diameter of uranium;
- the diameter of the Earth is about 11.21 times less than the diameter of Jupiter.
Each of the gas planets in diameter more than the Earth.
