Jupiter, King of the Planets

Jupiter is the fifth planet from our Sun and is, by far, the largest planet in the solar system – more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined.

Jupiter's stripes and swirls are actually cold, windy clouds of ammonia and water, floating in an atmosphere of hydrogen and helium. Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot is a giant storm bigger than Earth that has raged for hundreds of years.

Jupiter is named for the king of the ancient Roman gods.​

Quick facts about Jupiter

The Biggest

For scale, Jupiter's Great Red Spot is about the size of Earth

Fifth From the Sun

Jupiter is 5.2 AU from the Sun, Earth = 1 AU

Short and Long

Jupiter's day lasts only 10 Earth hours; its year is 12 Earth years

Nowhere to Land

Jupiter has no solid surface; it may have an Earth-sized core

Big and Light

Jupiter's atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium

Many Moons

As of July 2023, jupiter had 95 moons

Faint Rings

The Rings were spotted in 1979

Exploration

7 robots flew past; 2 stayed in orbit

Ingredients for Life

Jupiter can't support life as we know it

Super Storm

The Great Red Spot is a storm that has raged for over 100 years