The solar system consists of eight planets, four of which belong to the earth group and four to the category of gas giants. The difference between these two categories can be traced literally in everything. This is size, composition, movement, and atmosphere. Below we have collected the most interesting facts about giant planets, which for many will be a real discovery. Well, those who already know quite a lot about astronomy will be able to replenish their stock of knowledge.
What objects are included in this group
To begin, consider what the solar system looks like and where exactly our gas giants are located within it. The Sun is in the center, four planets of the earth group revolve around it. These are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. They are followed by a belt of asteroids, which seems to separate these two categories. The next four planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Below will be presented numerous facts about giant planets that will help us distinguish them from the celestial bodies of the earth group. Most astronomers also attribute to the category of planets Pluto - the most distant cosmic body of the SS. However, it more likely resembles Mercury than Jupiter or Neptune, both in structure and in parameters.
Size is the most important criterion for evaluating the planet
Based on the fact that we are listing facts about giant planets, it is easy to guess that the parameters of these celestial bodies are really very large. The largest object of this group is Jupiter, followed by Saturn, Uranus and after Neptune. In a word, they seemed to be arranged in descending order relative to the Sun. So what are the exact parameters of these planets? The diameter of Jupiter is 142,800 km, while in the region of the equator the planet is constantly “growing” due to the fact that it rotates very quickly around its axis. Saturn has a diameter of 120,000 km. Uranus and Neptune have the same indicators - 51,800 km and 48,600 km, respectively. For comparison, we propose to consider the diameter of the Earth - the largest planet in the earth group. It is 12 756 km, which is ten times less than that of the giants.
Chemical composition and mass
It would seem that 2 facts about giant planets, which should not be interconnected, are in fact one. So, four pieces as a selection consist of hydrogen and helium. It should be borne in mind that these gases are the basis of every planet. They have no surface, no solid rocks, craters from meteorites, glaciers and water. Therefore, giant planets are called gas planets, since they are an accumulation of a given physical element due to gravitational forces. Its density there is higher than in outer space, and due to this, the gas is transformed into a planet, acquiring a rounded shape. Of course, helium and hydrogen are not the only gases that are present on giants. But they are the basis to which all other chemical elements adhere. For example, on Jupiter in the upper atmosphere there are molecules of methane, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, and even oxygen. In the structure of Saturn, you can find ammonia, ethane, phosphine. Uranium looks greenish due to the large amount of methane that is present in the upper atmosphere. And Neptune is supplemented with ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which, mixing with the same methane, makes it blue. Now about the mass. The most amazing facts about the giant planets are that they do not weigh so much. On average, the mass of Uranus is approximately 3 earth masses. The light weight of the planets is ensured by their composition, because if they had a solid surface, water and rocks, they would weigh incredibly much.
The magnificence of the rings
The very first facts in the world about giant planets, which were discovered back in the 17-18th centuries, testified to the presence of the so-called rings that surround each similar celestial body. Such rings are formed due to the fact that many moons revolve around the planet. A special type of gravity is formed in this zone, the chemical composition changes slightly (compared with the general environment of space). Due to this, the rings become visible to us, earthly observers. The most striking owner of this astronomical magnificence is Saturn. His rings are visible through an amateur telescope. The second in the ranking of the visibility of rings is Neptune. Jupiter and Uranus are also surrounded by similar "fields", but they can already be seen only with the help of a very powerful technique.
Satellites not to be counted
Now consider some interesting facts about the planets of the solar system, which are still incomprehensible to astronomers. We are talking about the satellites that surround the planets, and about their number. The fact is that all the objects of the earth group have a very small number of moons or do not have any at all. Mercury and Venus have no moons. The Earth is equipped with only one - the Moon, and Mars with two - Demos and Phobos. But the gas giants abound in the moons. Jupiter wins everyone in terms of quantity - it has as many as 67 satellites (maybe there are more, just they are not open yet). It is important to note that some of them are analogues of the Earth. There is water, oxygen, therefore the birth of life is likely. Saturn has only 62 satellites, which revolve in the sphere of its magnificent rings. Uranus is surrounded by 27 moons, and Neptune - 14. But in Pluto, the situation is comparable to the planets of the earth group. He has only one companion - Charon, who is the same as himself, solid, cold and very mysterious.
Other Planet Facts
The list of amazing facts comes to an end, so we decided to summarize with brief data that apply to the entire SS. So:
- The mass of the sun is 99.86% of the total weight of the solar system. The rest falls on the planets.
- Jupiter has the most powerful magnetic field . Its radiation constantly enriches the Earth with electricity.
- On some planets, the day lasts longer than a year.
- There is a hypothesis that the core of Neptune is composed of rocks. If his ice clouds once melt, he will be able to find the atmosphere and become a planet suitable for life.