Jupiter: The Giant with Stripes!
- Nguyen Khoa
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
What if a planet was so big it could fit 1,300 Earths inside it? That planet is Jupiter.
Introduction
Welcome to our latest space update! Today, we’re heading to Jupiter—the giant of our solar system. Get ready to learn about powerful storms, fast spins, and tons of moons.
About Jupiter
Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. It’s a giant gas planet with swirling clouds and a huge storm called the Great Red Spot. A day on Jupiter is only 10 hours long!
Namesake
The world was named after the Roman king of the gods, Jupiter. It got a "royal" name because it is enormous in size.
Can Anything Live There?
Jupiter is not a good place to live—it is too stormy and too warm. Some of its moons, though, like Europa, could have oceans beneath their icy coverings. Maybe tiny life could live there one day!
Size and Distance
Jupiter is 11 times bigger than the Earth. Jupiter would be a basketball if Earth is a grape! It's 778 million kilometers from the Sun, and sunlight takes 43 minutes to reach it.
Rotation and Orbit
Jupiter spins very, very fast—its day is only 10 hours long. But it takes 12 years on Earth to go all the way around the Sun. Jupiter doesn't have big seasons like Earth.
Moons
Jupiter has 95 moons! The largest are:
Io, with volcanoes
Europa, which could have water beneath it
Ganymede, the biggest moon in our solar system
Callisto, which is icy
Rings
Yes, Jupiter does have rings! They're really thin and hard to see! They're made of very small dust particles and were discovered in 1979.
How Did It Form?
Jupiter formed about 4.6 billion years ago! It was formed out of leftover gas and dust when the Sun was created.
What's Inside?
Jupiter is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium, just like the Sun. Jupiter is not a solid planet.
Summary
Jupiter is a massive gas planet with dozens of moons, terrifying storms, and rings. It's enormous, powerful, and one of the most fascinating planets in our solar system.
Fun fact
The Great Red Spot on Jupiter is a storm that's been storming for at least 300 years—and it's bigger than Earth!
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