Earth and Space Science

Jupiter

By: Jasmin and Chantal

• Jupiter is a Gas Giant;• rocky core about 10 to 15 times earths mass• no solid surface under atmosphere• Has zones and belts

Jupiter’s Geological Features

Jupiter’s Atmospheric Compositions • 1000 km thick with no boundary of the atmosphere and what

lies below.• Great Red Spot: rising area of high pressure, higher altitude than zones.

-Permanent hurricane.

Jupiter’s Chemical Composition

• Jupiter is almost the same age as our Sun, 4.5 billion years old

• 87% hydrogen , 10% helium, and 2% other elements (ammonia & methane)

• Similar to suns composition

Jupiter’s Age

How Jupiter was Formed 1. Began with the nebula

2. Gravity causes a nebula to eventually begin to collapse under its own weight, creating a protoplanetary disk

3.Accretion happens (particles of dust and gas collided and stuck together)

4. Gravity increases with size and it drew more material towards it

5. This began a self-sustaining and accelerating process

6. These clumps, through attracting loose matter and collisions with other clumps, eventually become large enough to be what are called planetisimals

7. Planetesimals continue to grow in size (become protoplanets)

8. Final stage, sun ignited and blew away from the remaining loose gas and dust with its solar wind of charged particles

Jupiter’s Gravity

• Largest Planet = Most Gravity

• Gravity is so intense that it can possibly affect our entire solar system

• Years ago, Jupiter’s Gravity also tore apart a Comet (P/Shoemaker-Levy 9) into several

pieces, and the objects from this comet were pulled into Jupiter - These created marks on the planet.

Jupiter’s Mass

• 1.8987x10^27 kilograms• Jupiter’s Diameter is 143,000 km ~11.2 times bigger than that of the Earth.• 2.5 times more massive than any other planet

Distance from the Sun• The average distance from Jupiter to the Sun is approximately 778

million km

Jupiter’s Rotation

• Travels around sun in an elliptical rotation• 9hrs and 56 min to spin around once • How scientists measure this time slot is by the strong radio waves sent by Jupiter.

-Radio telescopes pick these waves up and measure Jupiter’s rotation speed

Jupiter’s Revolution• The revolution period of Jupiter is 11.86 years 

Jupiter’s Axis Tilt• The axis tilt of Jupiter is 3.13 º

Jupiter’s Moons• 63 moons• the Four Galilean Satellites. Ganymede:

Could have been considered a planet of its own because of its size...Its larger than Mercury! Geologist think that it use to have plates like Earth but they froze together soon after Ganymede’s

birth. Callisto

Farthest pout of all 4 moons Mercury’s twin when it comes to size add appearance Covered with craters

Europa Smoothest natural body in the Solar System Geologists believe that there is water stored underneath the icy surface...maybe even LIFE!

Io Closer to Jupiter than Europa and Ganymede Volcanoes that rest on the moon make it the most active planet in the solar system. They spew out

sulphuric acid that give off many colours One of 3 moons with an atmosphere in the Solar system

Jupiter’s Magnetic Field• Ranges from 5 × 10-4 to 1 T.• This is because of the field varying distance from the surface of the planet

Jupiter’s Average Temperature• The average surface temperature of Jupiter is -121 º C

Jupiter’s Climate

• Fairly warm

Space Probes used to explore Jupiter

• The Galileo Mission• Pioneer 11 and 12• Voyagers l and ll.• The Cassini-Huygens

Other Interesting Facts about Jupiter1. The Clouds on Jupiter are only 50 km thick

The Whirling clouds and storms you see on Jupiter are only about 50 km thick

2. Jupiter has rings

The rings around Jupiter were the 3rd set of rings discovered in the Solar System

3. Some of the other Moons of Jupiter

Metis , Adrastea, Amalthea, Thebe , Leda, Himalia , Lysithea, Elara, Ananke, Carme, Pasiphae, and Sinope

Bibliography• Jupiter - Features. (n.d.). Oracle ThinkQuest Library . Retrieved October 17, 2010, from

http://library.thinkquest.org/C002416

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• Jupiter l Jupiter facts, pictures and information.. (n.d.). The Nine Planets Solar System Tour. Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://nineplanets.org/jupiter.html

• NASA - Jupiter. (n.d.). NASA - Home. Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/jupiter

• eruptions, v., & along, f. (n.d.). Jupiter. Views of the Solar System. Retrieved October 17, 2010, from http://www.solarviews.com/eng/jupiter