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Jupiter Facts
- Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System.
- It has a diameter of about 139,820 km (86,881 miles), making it more than 11 times wider than Earth.
- Jupiter is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, similar to the Sun.
- It has a strong magnetic field, with a magnetosphere extending millions of kilometers into space.
- Jupiter has a fast rotation, completing a day in about 9.9 hours.
- Its iconic Great Red Spot is a massive storm larger than Earth, lasting for centuries.
- Jupiter has at least 79 known moons, including the four large Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
- It has faint rings composed of dust particles.
- Jupiter has been visited by spacecraft such as Voyager 1 and 2, Galileo, Juno, and the upcoming Europa Clipper mission.
- The planet's atmosphere features bands of clouds, with the upper atmosphere marked by colorful zones and belts.
- Jupiter experiences intense radiation and powerful storms, including lightning and auroras near its poles.
- It plays a critical role in shaping the Solar System's dynamics, influencing the orbits of other planets and asteroids.
- Jupiter's mass is more than 300 times that of Earth, dominating the gravitational balance in the outer Solar System.
- The planet's immense gravity acts as a shield, deflecting many comets and asteroids away from inner planets like Earth.
- Future missions aim to explore Jupiter's moons for signs of habitability and understand its complex magnetic environment.