What is Jupiter?

Overview

Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun, is the largest in our solar system—a massive gas giant with swirling clouds and a powerful magnetic field.

  • Diameter: 139,820 km
  • Distance from Sun: 778 million km
  • Mass: 1.90 x 10²⁷ kg
  • Orbit Period: 11.86 years
  • Rotation Period: 9.93 hours
Jupiter from Juno

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Details

Atmosphere: Mostly hydrogen (90%) and helium (10%), with colorful bands of ammonia and methane clouds.

Moons: Over 79 known moons, including Ganymede (largest in the solar system), Europa, Io, and Callisto.

Surface: No solid surface—just a dense core beneath layers of gas and liquid metallic hydrogen.

Exploration: Visited by spacecraft like Voyager, Galileo, and Juno, revealing its storms and rings.

Fun Fact: The Great Red Spot is a storm twice Earth's size, raging for over 300 years.