| Age |
About the same age as the Sun: 4.5
billion years |
| Location |
Solar system |
| Avg. distance from the Sun |
778,300,000 km |
| Length
of day |
10
hours |
| Length
of year |
Approx.
12 years or 4330 days |
| Range
of temperature |
-150C
to -100C |
| Diameter |
143,000 km |
| Atmosphere |
Composed
of frozen gases - 90% hydrogen, 10% helium |
| Period of revolution |
11.86 Earth years (4330 Earth days) |
| Number of moons |
Jupiter has 39 moons. Four are
called Galilean moons, 12 are smaller named moons, and at least 23 are
small, recently-discovered moons. |
| Distinguishing features |
Jupiter has an interesting feature
called the Great Red Spot, a huge storm of swirling gas that has
lasted for hundreds of years. Three Earths would fit within the
boundaries of the Great Red Spot, which appears brownish-red.
Ganymede, a Galilean moon, is the largest moon in our solar system
(larger than even the planet Mercury), and is the first moon known to
have its own magnetic field. |
