Content for Jupiter

Jupiter

Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but slightly less than one-thousandth the mass of the Sun. Jupiter is the third-brightest natural object in the Earth's night sky after the Moon and Venus. It has been observed since pre-historic times and is named after the Roman god Jupiter, the king of the gods, because of its observed size. Jupiter is primarily composed of hydrogen, but helium comprises one quarter of its mass and one tenth of its volume. It likely has a rocky core of heavier elements, but like the other giant planets, Jupiter lacks a well-defined solid surface. The on-going contraction of its interior generates heat greater than the amount received from the Sun. Because of its rapid rotation, the planet's shape is that of an oblate spheroid; it has a slight but noticeable bulge around the equator. The outer atmosphere is visibly segregated into several bands at different latitudes, with turbulence and storms along their interacting boundaries. A prominent result of this is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that is known to have existed since at least the 17th century, when it was first seen by telescope.

NASA’s Juno Is Getting Ever Closer to Jupiter’s Moon Io

“The spinning, solar-powered spacecraft will take another look of the fiery Jovian moon on July 30. When NASA’s Juno mission flies by Jupiter’s fiery moon Io on Sunday, July 30, the spacecraft will be making its closest approach …

NASA’s Juno Mission Getting Closer to Jupiter’s Moon Io

“The gas giant orbiter has flown over 510 million miles and also documented close encounters with three of Jupiter’s four largest moons. NASA’s Juno spacecraft will fly past Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io on Tuesday, May 16, and …

ESA’s Juice lifts off on quest to discover secrets of Jupiter’s icy moons

“ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) lifted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 14:14 CEST on 14 April. The successful launch marks the beginning of an ambitious voyage to uncover …

Global Space News: Juice Is Preparing To Launch!

“On April 13 2023, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission is scheduled to launch from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The ESA-led mission is packed with eleven science instruments for exploring the Jovian ice-covered moons, four …

NASA’s Juno Gets Highest-Resolution Close-Up of Jupiter’s Moon Europa

“Observations from the spacecraft’s pass of the moon provided the first close-up in over two decades of this ocean world, resulting in remarkable imagery and unique science. The highest-resolution photo NASA’s Juno mission has ever taken of a …

NASA’s Juno Shares First Image From Flyby of Jupiter’s Moon Europa

“Observations from the spacecraft’s pass of the moon provided the first close-up in over two decades of this ocean world, resulting in remarkable imagery and unique science. The first picture NASA’s Juno spacecraft took as it flew by …

NASA’s Juno Will Perform Close Flyby of Jupiter’s Icy Moon Europa

“As the spacecraft makes a close approach of the moon, it is expected to provide valuable science – and remarkable imagery – for NASA’s upcoming Europa Clipper mission. On Thursday, Sept. 29, at 2:36 a.m. PDT (5:36 a …

Greenland Ice, Jupiter Moon Share Similar Feature

“Parallel ice ridges, a common feature on Jupiter’s moon Europa, are found on Greenland’s ice sheet – and could bode well for Europa’s potential habitability. Parallel ice ridges in Greenland bear a striking resemblance to ridges on Jupiter …

NASA Telescope Spots Highest-Energy Light Ever Detected From Jupiter

“The planet’s auroras are known to produce low-energy X-ray light. A new study finally reveals higher-frequency X-rays and explains why they eluded another mission 30 years ago. Scientists have been studying Jupiter up close since the 1970s, but the …

NASA’s Juno Spacecraft ‘Hears’ Jupiter’s Moon

“An audio track collected during Jupiter mission’s Ganymede flyby offers a dramatic ride-along. It is one of the highlights mission scientists shared in a briefing at American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting. Sounds from a Ganymede flyby, magnetic fields, and …