Jupiter, whose diameter allows it to be in first place in magnitude in our solar system, has long interested scientists. Its nature contains many unique nuances: the largest size and number of satellites, a significant magnetic field, a monstrous hurricane, raging for centuries. It is the superlative degree of all Jupiter that makes specialists try to solve the mysteries of this planet.
Gas giant
Jupiter - a planet whose diameter at the equator is about 143,884 km - is located 778 million kilometers from our star. It is in fifth place from the Sun, being a gas giant. The composition of the atmosphere of Jupiter is very reminiscent of our star, since most of it is hydrogen.
It is known that the planet is covered by the ocean. Only not water - it contains rarefied hydrogen, which has a very high temperature.
The planet rotates so fast that the diameter of Jupiter at the equator is greatly lengthened. It is for this reason that incredibly strong storms are raging in these areas. Therefore, the appearance of the planet looks impressive - it is surrounded by atmospheric flows of various colors. Atmospheric formations inside the clouds in the equatorial region are no less interesting - here vortices and hurricanes arise. Some of them are so huge and powerful that they have not ceased for more than 300 years. The most famous vortex is the Big Red Spot, which exceeds the size of the Earth.
Jupiter possesses an incredibly powerful magnetic field. Its diameter is much larger than the planet itself. Partially, the boundaries of the field even go beyond the orbit of Saturn. Currently, it is estimated that it is over 650 million kilometers.
In recent years, scientists have come to grips with the study of this giant. Some of them believe that the characteristics of the magnetic field and the size and composition of the planet make it a possible candidate for the newly minted stars of our galaxy. They find confirmation of their theory also in the fact that the heat of the planet is not so much the reflected energy of the Sun as its own, generated in the bowels of Jupiter.
Dimensions
The diameter and mass of Jupiter is incredibly huge. Everyone knows that the composition of the Sun is 99% of all the matter in our system. But at the same time, the mass of Jupiter is only 1/1050 of the mass of the star. The giant is 318 times heavier than the Earth (1.9 × 10²⁷ kg). The radius of the gas giant is 71,400 km, which exceeds the same parameter of our planet by 11.2 times. Given how far Jupiter is from us, its diameter cannot be measured absolutely accurately. Therefore, scientists admit that the difference in performance can be several hundred kilometers.
Satellites
Jupiter has many moons. Currently, 63 planetary units of various diameters have been discovered, however, scientists suggest that in fact there can be up to hundreds of them. The largest satellites are the so-called Galilean group: Io, Callisto, Europe and Ganymede. Even with good binoculars, one can observe these bodies. The remaining satellites are much smaller, among them there are even those whose radius does not exceed 4 kilometers. Most of these objects rotate at a considerable distance from the planet, without causing much interest to scientists.
The study
Jupiter, whose diameter has always made it a noticeable cosmic body in the sky, has attracted the attention of astronomers for a very long time. Galileo was the first to do this in 1610. It was he who discovered the largest satellites of the giant and described its shape.
Currently, the most modern technology has been attracted to the study of Jupiter: apparatuses are sent to it and studied with the help of powerful telescopes, spectrometers and other scientific inventions.
The Galileo apparatus made the greatest contribution to the study of the planet. He studied the gas giant and its satellites for two years, the first in history to enter the orbit of Jupiter. After the mission, the device was sent to the object under study, the extremely high pressure of which simply crushed it. This was made out of fears that the device, having used up fuel supply, would fall on one of the moons of Jupiter, bringing Earth microorganisms there.
At present, the arrival of the interplanetary station "Juno", which has a large fuel supply, is expected. It is planned that it will be located at a distance of up to 50 thousand kilometers from the planet, studying its structure, magnetic fields, gravity and other parameters. Scientists hope that this mission will allow them to learn more about the formation of Jupiter, the exact composition of its atmosphere and so on. Well, we can only wait and hope for the success of this event.