Overview jupiter moons nasa solar system exploration. There are many interesting moons orbiting the planet, but the ones of most scientific interest are the first four moons discovered beyond earththe galilean satellites. The 5 coolest moons of jupiter astronomy is awesome. It has an ancient, cratered surface, indicating that geological processes could be dead. Jupiter with one of his mistresses moons callisto pixabay 16. Free shipping get free shipping free 58 day shipping within the u. At last count, jupiter has a total of sixtyone moons, ranging from tiny moonlets only a few miles in diameter up to giant ganymede, which is larger than two of the planets in the solar system. It is one of five planets visible to the naked eye from earth. Callisto jupiter iv callisto is the secondlargest moon of jupiter and thirdlargest moon in the solar system. Jupiter has 53 named moons and another 26 awaiting official names. See more ideas about jupiter facts, planet project and solar system projects. The four biggest moons are called the galilean moons because they were discovered by the italian astronomer galileo galilei. If jupiter had been 80 times more massive it would have become our second sun in the solar system.
While telescopes improved substantially by the space age of the 1960s, still little was known about callisto, according to the 2004 book jupiter. It is named for the roman god jupiter, who was the chief god of the many gods that the romans believed in. Ten interesting facts about jupiter jupiter was appropriately named after the king of the gods. This quizworksheet set lets you quickly measure your knowledge of the moons of jupiter. Here are ten facts about the first of these moons io a volcanic moon that kind of resembles a pizza. Jupiter is the fourth brightest object in the solar system. Its massive, has a powerful magnetic field, and more moons that any planet in the solar system. The moons of jupiter as the largest planet in our solar system, it is only fitting that jupiter also has the largest number of moons. Some of these moons are only 810 miles across, and in some instances, 3 billion miles away from us orbiting neptune.
The planet rotates very jupiter rotates very quickly, turning on its axis once every 9 hours and 55 minutes. It doesnt have a true surface, but it may have a solid core about the size of. Jupiter has been known to astronomers throughout human history because its large size means it can be easily seen in the night sky without the aid of a telescope. Jupiter has 67 discovered moons, but saturn is a close second with 62. Interesting facts about planet jupiter the planets. Jupiter is a gas giant, made mostly of hydrogen and helium with a small rocky core. The list further continues with plutos numerous moons that are specific by their extraordinary paths. List of jupiters moons simple english wikipedia, the. Leda is the ninth moon from jupiter and is also the smallest moon with a mean diameter of 16 km 9.
And its names were derived from the lovers of greek god, zeus. Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, has over 79 moons orbiting it. Galilean moons of jupiter jupiter moons, astronomy facts. These four are io, europa, ganymede and callisto they are roughly the same size as earths moon, some are a bit bigger, some are. It is named for the queen of sparta and the mother of pollux and helen of troy the father was zeus. The planets fast spin on its axis means that one jupiter day lasts less than 10 earth hours, and it sparks electrical currents that may drive the.
Jupiters moon, europa, holds an exciting lure for scientistsa saltwater ocean possibly teeming with life. Jupiter has been known to astronomers since antiquity. You will need to identify some of jupiters moons and their characteristics. The ancient babylonians were the first to record their sightings of jupiter. The following video shows us the list of 25 cool and interesting facts about various moons of our solar system.
It holds a unique place in the history of space exploration since after it was observed through the telescope, some of its moons were also. The list begins with saturns moon, enceladus, and its astonishing fountains. When viewed from earth, jupiter can be bright enough for its reflected light. Callisto is tidally locked during rotation meaning that it orbits jupiter with the same hemisphere facing inwards making jupiter seemingly stands still in callistos sky. Jupiter has the second largest number of moons with reasonably stable orbits of any planet in the solar system the most massive of the moons are the four galilean moons, which were independently discovered in 1610 by galileo galilei and simon marius. That our moon is not the only one was already noticed in 1610 when galileo galilei discovered io and ganymed two of jupiters moons. Jupiter facts interesting facts about planet jupiter. It is the largest planet in the solar system and was discovered by galileo galilei in the year 1610.
Facts about jupiter, its moons and its famous giant red spot. A 15minute book by jeannie meekins available from rakuten kobo. It would take 318 earths to equal jupiters mass of 1. Were going to take a close look at the 5 coolest moons of jupiter and find out what unique quality each possess. Read 14 fun facts about the galilean moons of jupiter. Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest in the solar system. What are galilean moons moons of jupiter discovered by. Jupiter facts interesting facts about planet jupiter space facts. If you weigh 100 pounds on earth, you would weigh 264 pounds on jupiter. The diameter is 11 times, volume is 1,321 times, and surface area is 122 times of earth. Top 10 most interesting moons in the solar system owlcation. It is not only the largest natural satellite of jupiter but it.
Mercury, with the most erratic of all orbits in our solar system. Seven wonders of the rocky planets and their moons by ron. Near the surface, powerful forces whip up clouds of brightly colored mistylooking gas, forming storms that can grow bigger than the earth and last for hundreds of years. The mass of jupiter is 70% of the total mass of all the other planets in our solar system. Facts about jupiter s dead moon this article was updated on oct. Io, one of the moons, has more volcanoes than any other planet in the solar system. These four are some of the largest objects in the solar system.
Europa probably has a liquid ocean beneath its crust. They were the first objects found to orbit a body that was neither earth nor the sun. The magnetosphere of jupiter is also responsible for intense episodes of radio emission from the planets polar regions. Saturn is the secondlargest planet in the solar system. Named after the ancient roman god, jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. The number of moons changes fairly frequently, with the 79th moon being reported in. The most massive of the moons are the four galilean moons, which were independently discovered in 1610 by galileo galilei and simon marius and were the first objects found to orbit a body that was neither earth nor the sun.
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system with a mean diameter of 9,822 km 86,881 miles. Top 10 strange and scary facts about moons listverse. It is a gas giant with a mass onethousandth that of the sun, but twoandahalf times that of all the other planets in the solar system combined. Facts about jupiter always point to its massive size and its moons follow the same rule. Most of the moons of jupiter are small, with about 60 of the satellites being less than 6. Europa belongs to a group of satellites of jupiter that are together known as the galilean moons. Nasas juno mission will now be on the lookout for jupiter s naughty moons. One of the 8 planets revolving around the sun is jupiter. Right when you thought thats a lot of facts about jupiter, but that is the tip of the iceberg until you get to jupiters moons and rings. Combined, scientists now think jupiter has 79 moons. All the planets have names that come from the romans. Jupiters four largest moons all orbit within the magnetosphere, which protects them from the solar wind, but also make the likelihood of establishing outposts on their surface problematic. The moons of jupiter has been added to your cart add to cart. Its four largest moons are io, europa, ganymede and callisto.
Some of these are large, like titan, the second largest moon in the solar system. Join us as we head into the universe to discover ten fascinating facts about the moon 10 facts about the moon. On january 7, 1610, italian astronomer galileo galilei turned his newly developed telescope to jupiter. This galilean moon has a diameter of 2,996 miles and an orbital radius of about 1,170,042 miles. Updated may 2016 alice munro, around the time that the moons of jupiter was published the moons of jupiter is munros fifth book, and i think it marked a turning point in her writing. The seven wonders of the rocky inner planets mercury, venus, earth, and mars are. Jupiter is considered a gas giant, along with the planets of saturn, uranus and neptune. Out of 67 moons of jupiter, ganymede is the largest moon and belongs to the group of 4 largest moons of the gas giant that are together known as the galilean moons 2. This is a very short book with great pictures and tons of info. You would need to line up 11 earths to reach jupiters mean diameter of 9,322 km. From earth, jupiter is the third brightest object in the night sky, after the moon and venus. Approximately 60 moons have been discovered orbiting jupiter and ganymede is its largest moon. Kidd, visitors feel anachronistic, wellwritten and polished tales that could have been part of her first collection, dance of the happy shades. Five facts about saturn, the ringed gas giant planet.
Jupiter isnt the best husband though, and his infidelity led to some of his moons being named after his most famous mistresses, io, europa, ganymede, and callisto. Some of the information you will find in here is the definition of the solar system that is. Most cool facts about the planet jupiter top fact site. From the end of the 19th century, dozens of much smaller jovian moons have been discovered and have received the names of lovers or. Jupiters clouds are made up of mostly ammonia crystals, sulfur and mixtures of both of these. Scores of moons have been discovered within our solar system, yet earths companion still stands out as one of the most remarkable and the rest weird worlds. If you only count the moons of the planets, there are 166 known moons in the solar system. There are 67 moons orbiting jupiter more than any other planet in our solar system.
Of the remaining moons, 14 of them have yet to be named. Planet jupiter facts and information national geographic. Jupiter facts are simply massive facts about the biggest planet in the solar system. The four largest moons are called the galilean moons, as they were discovered by galileo galilei in 1610.
Jupiter facts for kids interesting facts about planet. Jupiters largest moons are known as the galileans, all of which were discovered by galileo galilei so as named galilean moons, around january 1610 using his ow cosmos nasa space planets space and astronomy astronomy facts moon orbit jupiter moons planets and moons interstellar. A lander is scheduled for the 2020s, but there is a chance that the craft could get impaled before it reaches the surface. Jupiter has a mass 318 times greater than the earths and a diameter that is 11 times larger. It is the 6th largest satellite in entire solar system and the fourth largest satellite of jupiter.
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