April 20, 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics 101: Jupiter

Jupiter is currently thought to have 79 moons, the biggest of which, Ganymede, is bigger than the planet Mercury.

Hubble has actually seen extraordinary detail in Jupiters aurorae. These aurorae resemble those seen above Earths polar regions, however are nearly 1000 times more energetic and far more complicated. Aurorae can be seen at both of Jupiters poles– but only in ultraviolet light, so they might have not been observed with any ground-based telescope. Hubble has actually likewise charted the dynamic activity on Jupiter and its moon Io.
This permitted it to witness the stunning plunge of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 into Jupiters atmosphere in July 1994. The repercussions of the effect could be seen for numerous days afterward and by studying the Hubble data astronomers were able to acquire basic information about the composition and density of the huge worlds environment.
Jupiter. Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley).
Hubbles observations have also tracked vibrant weather condition activity on Jupiter. Hubble observations likewise expose that Jupiters hallmark Great Red Spot is diminishing.
Hubbles collection of Jupiter images can be checked out here.

Jupiter has an extremely identifiable appearance, its surface environment noticeably divided into turbulent strips, and the Great Red Spot, resembling a red eye, listed below its equator. The Great Red Spot is in fact the largest and longest enduring storm in the Solar System. It is larger than planet Earth, and is thought to have actually been observed in 1665; if so, it has been raging for over 350 years. Jupiter is presently believed to have 79 moons, the largest of which, Ganymede, is larger than the world Mercury.

Hubbles 2021 pictures of Jupiter track the ever-changing landscape of its unstable atmosphere, where a number of new storms are making their mark. Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI).
Jupiter is the fifth world from the Sun. It is a gas giant, and the largest and most enormous planet in our Solar System. It is well-known for its stripy appearance and for the Great Red Spot.
Orbiting between Mars and Saturn, Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun. With a mass more than 317 times that of Earth, it is by far the most enormous world in the Solar System. Jupiter is a gas giant, which suggests it is mainly comprised of hydrogen and helium, much of which is in the gaseous state. Jupiter most likely does have a rocky core, but the large majority of its radius is taken up by layers of metallic hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, and its atmosphere.
If Jupiter had the same average density as Earth, then it would only have a radius about 7 times higher than Earths. In truth, Jupiters radius is over eleven times higher than that of Earth, thanks to its inflated gaseous environment.

Hubble has seen unmatched detail in Jupiters aurorae. Hubble has likewise charted the vibrant activity on Jupiter and its moon Io.
Hubbles observations have actually likewise tracked vibrant weather condition activity on Jupiter. Hubble observations also reveal that Jupiters hallmark Great Red Spot is shrinking.