Jupiter has a diameter of 142,984 km, which is 11 times larger than the ground! Its mass is 317 times greater than the Earth and twice as much as the mass of the other planets of the Solar System taken together! If Jupiter was 100 times heavier, the temperature inside it would be enough for thermonuclear reactions and instead of the planet we would have a small star! This is a really amazing world! It is the most visible planet of our Solar System in amateur telescopes.

Despite its size, the distance of 778 million km from the Sun makes it not easy to see more detailed details on its surface using Earth telescopes. Only spacecraft sent in its vicinity reveal the planet up close. The Pioneer 10 and 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 probes made detailed images of the planet and its moons for those times. In 1995, the Galileo probe sent even more accurate data and sent a sampler that examined the upper atmosphere. The Juno mission currently underway is a breakthrough. She provided us with many great photos.

The surface of Jupiter is cut by streaks called zones and belts. These are solid structures that remain in place for hundreds of years. Scientists say that wind blows in opposite directions in adjacent lanes and zones. The Galileo spacecraft discovered that the winds on Jupiter blow at speeds of up to 640 km / h! The colors of clouds on Jupiter are the result of chemical reactions and their heights. The lowest are blue clouds, higher white and highest reddish brown. Amazing, right?

The most famous of all structures in the atmosphere of Jupiter. It has been observed for over 300 years. It is the largest permanent anticyclone in our Solar System (high-pressure system) 3 times bigger than the Earth! It rotates counter-clockwise. One rotation of the whirl takes about 6 days. It still remains one of the biggest puzzles of this planet. As you can see, our earthly hurricanes are nothing compared to the cyclones in Jupiter!

The internal structure and chemical composition of Jupiter differs significantly from the rocky terrestrial planets. Its atmosphere consists of hydrogen (86%) and helium (14%), with traces of methane, water and ammonia. In the atmosphere of Jupiter the temperature is about -110°C. Under the layer of upper clouds there is a layer of hydrogen, which 1000 km deeper turns into liquid molecular hydrogen. This is the boundary between the planet's atmosphere and its interior. At a depth of approximately 25,000 km under pressure of 4 million atmospheres hydrogen becomes metallic and can conduct electricity. This is probably why Jupiter has a huge magnetic field. In the middle of the planet there is a liquid rocky nucleus, the temperature of which reaches 22 000°C!