In the unexplored expanses of space, there are many mysterious astronomical objects - including planets so large that in comparison with them the most major planets solar system seem like grains of sand in endless space. In our own galaxy, the Milky Way itself big planet is Jupiter.
Planet Jupiter as seen from space (computer simulation based on real photographs of Jupiter taken by the Cassini spacecraft (NASA))
In ancient Roman mythology, Jupiter was the god of the sky, the father of all gods. The planet named after ancient god, in the same way can be considered the “father” of all other planets: the radius of Jupiter is more than 11 times greater than the radius of the Earth and is equal to 71.4 thousand kilometers.
The mass of Jupiter is 1.8986 * 10 27 kg, the planet is almost 318 times heavier than the Earth. The size of the planet is so large that it changes the orbit and direction of movement of small space objects - Jupiter can, for example, send comets or a stream of asteroids into the inner solar system.
The Great Red Spot, a giant anticyclone hurricane, has been observed on the surface of Jupiter for more than 350 years. The size of a hurricane is larger than the size of the entire Earth! The photograph of the hurricane was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
But Jupiter cannot be called the largest planet in space - at a distance of about a thousand light years from Earth, in the distant Scorpius Galaxy, there is the exoplanet WASP-17b, the radius of which is almost twice that of Jupiter. Information about which are the largest planets in space is constantly updated - not so long ago, in 2009, WASP-12b, with a radius of 1.83 Jupiter radii, was considered the largest planet.
In the photo: on the left is Jupiter, on the right is WASP-17b, the largest planet known to date
In second place in the list of the largest planets in the solar system is Saturn, whose size is 945% of the size of planet Earth, and its radius is 58,232 km.
In this rare photograph taken on July 19, 2013, NASA's Cassini spacecraft simultaneously captured the rings of Saturn, our planet Earth, and the Moon.
The length of a day on Saturn is 10.7 hours, and one year according to the planet’s time is 29 Earth years (it is during this period that Saturn makes a full revolution around the Sun).
One of the first live photographs of Saturn and its moon, Titan, taken on September 1, 1979 by the Pioneer 11 spacecraft.
The planet Saturn is a gas giant, it has no solid surface, and the atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. Naturally, life cannot exist on this planet.
Storm at Saturn's north pole (photo from NASA's Cassini spacecraft)
Saturn is known not so much for being one of the largest planets in the solar system, but for having a unique system of seven rings. These rings were first noted by Galileo Galilei, observing the planet through a telescope in the 17th century.
The rings of Saturn (photo taken by the Cassini spacecraft on March 4, 2013). The bright white dot in the photo is the planet Venus.
The third largest planet in the solar system is completed by the planet Uranus, whose radius is 25,362 kilometers and its dimensions are 400% of the size of the Earth.
The clearest and most detailed “live” photo of Uranus, taken by the Keck II telescope in Hawaii.
The only spacecraft to ever orbit Uranus is Voyager 2, launched into space in August 1977. NASA's network of satellites is still receiving information from the spacecraft, which has been in space for 37 years and several months.
Photo of Uranus taken by Voyager 2, which reached the planet in January 1986
A day on Uranus lasts approximately 17 hours, and the planet completes a full revolution around the Sun in 84 Earth years—that’s how long one year lasts in Uranus time. Uranus is an ice giant with an atmosphere of hydrogen and helium (with a small admixture of methane).
The “layered” atmosphere of Uranus, formed by a mixture of gases. The photo was taken by the Hubble telescope with infrared filters.
There are 27 moons in the Uranus system, which are named after the heroes of the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
Uranus and its largest moons (photo by Voyager 2 spacecraft)
The photo below shows the planets of the solar system compared by size. From left to right, top to bottom, the planets are arranged from largest to smallest: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury.
The photo below shows eight planets and a dwarf planet in the solar system on an approximate scale. Pluto is the dwarf planet on the far right. At the left at the end is the Sun. From left to right are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
The solar system is one of the most complex and incredibly interesting structures to study, both by specialists in this field and simply by space enthusiasts. It is only a small part of the entire galaxy. Not only the history of the appearance of space objects is striking, but also their dimensions. What is the name of the largest planet in the solar system - not the Sun, it is 300 times larger than the Earth, and its diameter is 11 times larger than the Earth's.
What is a planet
Before talking about which planet is the largest, it is worth understanding the concept of this object. A planet is a massive celestial body orbiting a star. The heart of the solar system is the Sun, formed about 4.57 billion years ago by the gravitational compression of a cloud of gas and dust. This bright star is the main source of light and heat, both on Earth and other planets.
How many planets are there in the solar system
The system is divided into internal and external groups. The closest to the Sun are the inner planets and small, compared to the stars, asteroids. The closest location is Mercury. It is the fastest moving celestial body in the system. Mars is famous for its red surface. The temperature of Venus reaches 400 degrees, making it one of the hottest. And the planet with the confirmed presence of life is the Earth, which has a natural satellite – the Moon.
Major planets of the solar system
The outer zone consists of larger planets. Among its heavy giants are Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter. They are located at a greater distance from the Sun than the inner group, due to which they have a colder climate and are characterized by icy winds. Astronomers classify the planets Uranus and Neptune into the “Ice Giants” category. All stars in the outer region have their own ring system.
Saturn
Saturn has the most extensive system of rings and belts. Their main component is ice particles, heavy elements and dust. The planet itself consists of hydrogen with helium, water, methane, ammonia and other elements. Wind speeds on Saturn reach 1,800 kilometers per hour, which can cause whirlwinds. Studying the planet research station, whose task is to analyze the structure of the rings. Saturn has 62 moons, the most famous of which is Titan.
Uranus
The coldest giant is Uranus. His low temperature associated with a distant location from the Sun. The surface of Uranus is mainly covered with ice and rocks, and the structure of the atmosphere includes hydrogen and helium. Clouds of solid ammonia, hydrogen and ice were also detected. This planet is distinguished by its axis of rotation, with a characteristic position “on its side.” It turns to the Sun either by the north or south pole, by the equator and by the middle latitudes. This object shows signs of seasonal changes in the form of increased weather activity. Uranus has 27 satellites.
Neptune
Neptune is larger and is the fourth largest planet in diameter. The strongest winds rage in its atmosphere, which can reach 2100 kilometers per hour, and the temperature is close to 220 degrees minus. In addition, traces of methane are observed in its atmosphere, giving it a blue tint. In 1989, the Voyager 2 expedition discovered a large dark spot in the southern hemisphere of the planet. Neptune has 13 satellites, including Triton. It was opened in the 20th century. The remaining celestial bodies were discovered later.
Jupiter
When asked which planet has the largest mass, we can safely say Jupiter. The largest planet in the solar system has an upper layer consisting of hydrogen, methane, ammonia and water. A number of phenomena have been recorded in Jupiter's atmosphere, including storms, lightning and auroras. The vortices on the planet rush at incredible speeds - up to 640 kilometers per hour. As a result of a major storm, a large red spot formed on the surface of Jupiter, which became one of the main features of the giant. And due to the huge size of the planet, its parts rotate at different speeds.
What is the largest planet
Since 1970, 8 spacecraft have been studying the largest and heaviest planet, Jupiter: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Voyagers, Pioneers, Galileo and others. This giant has a heavy mass that is 300 times greater than that of the Earth. The largest planet in the solar system has the largest number of satellites - 69. Among them are the large Galileans - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. They were discovered by the famous Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610.
Statistical data
Below are the main characteristics of the largest planet in the solar system:
- weight: 1.8981 x 1027 kilograms;
- volume - 1.43128 × 1015 cubic kilometers;
- surface area - 6.1419 x 1010 square kilometers;
- average circumference - 4.39264 x 105 kilometers;
- density 1.326 grams per cubic centimeter;
- conventional orbital speed – 13.07 kilometers per second;
- inclination relative to the ecliptic plane – 1.03 degrees;
- apparent magnitude – 2.94 meters;
- surface pressure - 1 bar.
Is life possible on Jupiter?
Jupiter is a gas giant with virtually no water necessary for the formation of life processes. In addition, it does not have a solid surface, which allows organisms to develop other than microscopic masses. And due to the low temperature, reaching 175 degrees minus, organisms can freeze. The only space on the planet suitable for the development of life is the cloud tops, which are resistant to solar radiation. This may refer to free-floating organisms.
Video
Reading time: 8 min.
Space has always attracted man. Every day we can observe our natural satellite, the Moon, in the sky. But, as soon as we arm ourselves with good optics, many other celestial objects will open before us. The largest and most significant of them are planets on which life may once have existed or may someday appear. In this list we have prepared for you a description of the largest planets in our solar system.
Pluto is a dwarf planet in the solar system, which is slightly smaller than the largest dwarf planet, Ceres. Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh. When it was considered a full-fledged planet, it still remained the smallest planet, its mass was equal to 1/6 of the mass of our celestial satellite - the Moon. Pluto has a diameter of 2,370 km and is made entirely of rocks and ice. Pluto's structure probably consists of frozen nitrogen, ice and silicates. Its surface temperature is minus 230 degrees Celsius, the atmosphere is very rarefied and consists of gases (nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide). It is noteworthy that after Pluto was removed from the list of planets, a new expression appeared - “demote” - demote in rank.
Mercury, the first planet from the Sun, has a mass almost 20 times less than the mass of the Earth, and its diameter is two and a half times less than that of our planet. Mercury, even closer to the Moon in size than to the Earth, is today the smallest planet in the solar system. Mercury's structure has many rocks, which are lined with deep craters. The American Messenger spacecraft, which self-destructed on the surface of Mercury, managed to transmit photographs that confirm that on back side The planet, which is always in the shadow, has frozen water. It is curious that Mercury is often closest to Earth, since Venus and Mars, having huge orbits of rotation, move away from our planet to a greater extent.
In size, Mars is almost 2 times smaller than Earth, its diameter is 6.792 kilometers, which is not an unusual indicator. The only striking thing is that its weight is one tenth of the weight of the Earth. The fourth farthest from the Sun, it has an axis tilt of 25.1 degrees. Due to such features of the position in outer space, seasons change on Mars, just as on our planet one season replaces another. Days on Mars are very close to those on Earth, and they are called sol. Sol lasts 24 hours and 40 minutes. In the south, summers are always hot and winters are harsh; in the northern part of the planet there are no such differences - both summers and winters are very mild. Mars is the best planet that humanity can explore in the near future.
Sixth place on the list is occupied by a planet named after the goddess of beauty, Venus. Venus has a couple more names like “Morning Star” and “Evening Star”, since being very close to the Sun, Venus is the first in the sky in the evening and the last one to be seen in the morning. The diameter is 12,100 km (the Earth is only a thousand kilometers larger), and the mass is more than 80% of the Earth’s. What is most visible on the surface of Venus is the plains, which consist of cooled lava from volcanoes, everything else is huge mountain ranges. There is carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and thick clouds of sulfur dioxide hang over the planet. The largest Greenhouse effect, which exists in the Universe, the surface temperature of Venus is 460 degrees Celsius.
The cradle of humanity and the third planet farthest from the Sun. Earth is the only planet on which life has been discovered. The diameter of the Earth is 12,742 km, and its mass is 5.972 septillion kilograms. Scientists were also able to determine the age of our planet; it is already about 4.54 billion. All this time, her natural satellite, the Moon, follows her non-stop. It is believed that during its formation the Moon was exposed to the influence of Mars, which influenced the Earth, causing the latter to eject a lot of material to form the Moon. The Moon acts as a stabilizer for the tilt of the Earth's axis, and may be the cause of the ebb and flow of sea tides.
Neptune is one of the largest planets in the solar system, its diameter is 49,000 km, its mass is 17 times that of the Earth. Neptune consists of gases, and if you count it, it is the eighth from the Sun. On Neptune you can observe powerful cloud bands, storms and cyclones. They were captured by the Voyager 2 apparatus, which took pictures of outer space. The wind speed on this planet is amazing - about 600 m/s. Due to the fact that Neptune is so far from the Sun, it is one of the coldest planets, only in the uppermost layers of the atmosphere the temperature is minus 220 degrees Celsius.
Third place went to Uranus - the seventh planet from the sun, has many satellites (about 27) and is striking in its size. The diameter of Uranus is 50,000 kilometers, 104 times larger than Earth’s, and it weighs 14 times more than Earth. 27 satellites have sizes from 20 to 1500 kilometers, they are from frozen ice, rock and many other trace elements. Hydrogen, helium and methane are what the atmosphere of Uranus consists of. In its structure, it has a rocky core, which is surrounded by water and ammonia and methane vapor. Until now, the planet is of interest to researchers, and spacecraft are often sent to it.
Galileo Galilei discovered this planet in 1610. Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system, the most recognizable planet due to its rings, which consist of water ice and silicate dust admixtures. Christian Huygens was the first to examine these rings through improved optics in 1655. They spread over the surface of the planet at a distance of 7 to 120 thousand kilometers. Saturn has a radius that is 9 times larger than the Earth - 57,000 km, and is 95 times heavier. Like Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter, Saturn is a gas giant, which consists of hydrogen, methane, ammonia, a trace of helium and heavy elements.
Jupiter rightfully took first place. Jupiter is the largest planet, which bears the name of the Roman king of the gods. This planet is visible in the sky with the naked eye, without any optics. If you eliminated the Sun, Jupiter could contain all the other planets without even noticing it. The diameter of Jupiter is 142.984 km. For its size, Jupiter moves very quickly, completing a full rotation on its axis in just 10 hours. The planet shows a hump that was formed due to the work of centrifugal force, which makes the diameter of Jupiter's equator 9,000 km larger than the diameter measured at its poles. It has more than 60 satellites, but many of them are not very large. Galileo Galilei in 1610 discovered the 4 largest satellites of Jupiter: Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa.
To determine how big a planet is, you need to take into account criteria such as its mass and diameter. The largest planet in the solar system is 300 times larger than Earth, and its diameter is eleven times greater than that of the earth. For a list of the largest planets in the Solar System, their names, sizes, photos and what they are known for, read our rating.
Diameter, mass, length of day and orbital radius are given relative to the Earth.
| Planet | Diameter | Weight | Orbital radius, a. e. | Orbital period, Earth years | Day | Density, kg/m³ | Satellites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.382 | 0.055 | 0.38 | 0.241 | 58.6 | 5427 | 0 | |
| 0.949 | 0.815 | 0.72 | 0.615 | 243 | 5243 | 0 | |
| Earth | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5515 | 1 |
| 0.53 | 0.107 | 1.52 | 1.88 | 1.03 | 3933 | 2 | |
| 11.2 | 318 | 5.2 | 11.86 | 0.414 | 1326 | 69 | |
| 9.41 | 95 | 9.54 | 29.46 | 0.426 | 687 | 62 | |
| 3.98 | 14.6 | 19.22 | 84.01 | 0.718 | 1270 | 27 | |
| 3.81 | 17.2 | 30.06 | 164.79 | 0.671 | 1638 | 14 | |
| 0.186 | 0.0022 | 39.2 | 248.09 | 6.387 | 1860 | 5 |
9. Pluto, diameter ~2370 km
Pluto is the second largest dwarf planet in the solar system after Ceres. Even when it was one of the full-fledged planets, it was far from the largest of them, since its mass is equal to 1/6 of the mass of the Moon. Pluto has a diameter of 2,370 km and is composed of rock and ice. It is not surprising that it is quite cold on its surface - minus 230 ° C
8. Mercury ∼ 4,879 km
A tiny world with a mass almost twenty times less than the mass of Earth, and a diameter 2 ½ less than Earth's. In fact, Mercury is closer in size to the Moon than to the Earth and is currently considered the smallest planet in the solar system. Mercury has a rocky surface dotted with craters. The Messenger spacecraft recently confirmed that deep craters on the shadowy side of Mercury contain icy water.
7. Mars ∼ 6,792 km
Mars is about half the size of Earth and has a diameter of 6.792 km. However, its mass is only a tenth of the earth's. This not very large planet in the solar system, the fourth closest to the Sun, has an inclination of its rotation axis of 25.1 degrees. Thanks to this, the seasons change on it, just like on Earth. A day (sol) on Mars is equal to 24 hours and 40 minutes. In the southern hemisphere, summers are hot and winters are cold, but in the northern hemisphere there are no such sharp contrasts, where both summers and winters are mild. You could say ideal conditions for building a greenhouse and growing potatoes.
6. Venus ∼ 12,100 km
In sixth place in the ranking of the largest and smallest planets is a celestial body named after the goddess of beauty. It is so close to the Sun that it is the first to appear in the evening and the last to disappear in the morning. Therefore, Venus has long been known as the “evening star” and “morning star”. It has a diameter of 12,100 km, almost comparable to the size of the Earth (1000 km less), and 80% of the Earth's mass.
The surface of Venus mainly consists of large plains of volcanic origin, the rest is made up of giant mountains. The atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, with thick clouds of sulfur dioxide. This atmosphere has the strongest greenhouse effect known in the solar system, and the temperature on Venus hovers around 460 degrees.
5. Earth ~ 12,742 km
The third planet closest to the Sun. Earth is the only planet in the solar system that has life. It has an axis tilt of 23.4 degrees, its diameter is 12,742 km, and its mass is 5.972 septillion kg.
The age of our planet is very respectable - 4.54 billion years. And most of this time it is accompanied by its natural satellite - the Moon. It is believed that the Moon was formed when the celestial body big size, namely Mars, impacted the Earth, causing the release of enough material that the Moon could form. The Moon has a stabilizing effect on the tilt of the Earth's axis and is the source of the tides of the oceans.
“It is rather inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is obvious that it is an Ocean” - Arthur C. Clarke.
4. Neptune ∼ 49,000 km
The gas giant planet of the Solar System is the eighth celestial body closest to the Sun. Neptune's diameter is 49,000 km, and its mass is 17 times that of Earth. It has powerful cloud bands (which, along with storms and cyclones, were photographed by Voyager 2). Wind speeds on Neptune reach 600 m/s. Due to its great distance from the Sun, the planet is one of the coldest, with temperatures in the upper atmosphere reaching minus 220 degrees Celsius.
3. Uranium ∼ 50,000 km
On the third line of the list of the largest planets in the solar system is the seventh closest to the Sun, the third largest and fourth heaviest of the worlds. The diameter of Uranus (50,000 km) is four times that of Earth, and its mass is 14 times that of our planet.
Uranus has 27 known moons, with sizes ranging from more than 1,500 km to less than 20 km in diameter. The planet's satellites consist of ice, rocks and other trace elements. Uranus itself has a rocky core surrounded by a blanket of water, ammonia and methane. The atmosphere consists of hydrogen, helium and methane with top layer clouds
2. Saturn ∼ 116,400 km
The second largest planet in the solar system is known for its ring system. It was first noticed by Galileo Galilei in 1610. Galileo believed that Saturn was accompanied by two other planets that were on either side of it. In 1655, Christian Huygens, using an improved telescope, was able to see Saturn in sufficient detail to suggest that there were rings around it. They extend from 7,000 km to 120,000 km above the surface of Saturn, which itself has a radius 9 times that of Earth (57,000 km) and a mass 95 times that of Earth.
1. Jupiter ∼ 142,974 km
The first number is the winner of the planetary heavy hit parade, Jupiter, the largest planet, bearing the name of the Roman king of the gods. One of the five planets visible to the naked eye. It is so massive that it would contain the rest of the worlds of the solar system, minus the sun. The total diameter of Jupiter is 142.984 km. Given its size, Jupiter rotates very quickly, making one rotation every 10 hours. At its equator there is a fairly large centrifugal force, due to which the planet has a pronounced hump. That is, the diameter of Jupiter's equator is 9000 km larger than the diameter measured at the poles. As befits a king, Jupiter has many satellites (more than 60), but most of them are quite small (less than 10 km in diameter). The four largest moons, discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei, are named after the favorites of Zeus, the Greek equivalent of Jupiter.
What is known about Jupiter
Before the invention of the telescope, the planets were viewed as objects wandering across the sky. Therefore, the word “planet” is translated from Greek as “wanderer.” Our solar system has 8 known planets, although 9 celestial objects were originally recognized as planets. In the 1990s, Pluto was demoted from true planet status to dwarf planet status. A The largest planet in the solar system is called Jupiter.
The radius of the planet is 69,911 km. That is, all the largest planets in the solar system could fit inside Jupiter (see photo). And if we take only our Earth, then 1300 such planets will fit inside Jupiter’s body.
It is the fifth planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman god.
Jupiter's atmosphere is made up of gases, mainly helium and hydrogen, which is why it is also called the gas giant of the solar system. The surface of Jupiter consists of an ocean of liquid hydrogen.
Jupiter has the strongest magnetosphere of all the other planets, 20 thousand times stronger than Earth's magnetosphere.
The largest planet in the solar system rotates around its axis faster than all its “neighbors”. One full revolution takes just under 10 hours (the Earth takes 24 hours). Because of this rapid rotation, Jupiter is convex at the equator and “flattened” at the poles. The planet is 7 percent wider at the equator than at the poles.
The largest celestial body in the solar system revolves around the Sun once every 11.86 Earth years.
Jupiter broadcasts radio waves so strong that they can be detected from Earth. They come in two forms:
- strong bursts that occur when Io, the nearest big moons Jupiter, passes through certain regions of the planet's magnetic field;
- continuous radiation from the surface and high-energy particles of Jupiter in its radiation belts. These radio waves could help scientists explore the oceans on the space giant's satellites.
The most unusual feature of Jupiter
Undoubtedly main feature Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a giant hurricane that has raged for more than 300 years.
- The diameter of the Great Red Spot is three times the diameter of the Earth, and its edge rotates around the center and counterclockwise at a tremendous speed (360 km per hour).
- The color of the storm, which typically ranges from brick red to light brown, may be due to the presence of small amounts of sulfur and phosphorus.
- The spot either increases or decreases over time. A hundred years ago, education was twice as large as it is now and significantly brighter.
There are many other spots on Jupiter, but for some reason they exist only in the Southern Hemisphere for a long time.
Rings of Jupiter
Unlike Saturn's rings, which are clearly visible from Earth even through small telescopes, Jupiter's rings are very difficult to see. Their existence became known thanks to data from Voyager 1 (a NASA spacecraft) in 1979, but their origin was a mystery. Data from the Galileo spacecraft, which orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003, later confirmed that these rings were created by meteoroid impacts on small nearby moons of the huge planet itself.
Jupiter's ring system includes:
- halo - inner layer small particles;
- the main ring is brighter than the other two;
- outer “web” ring.
The main ring is flattened, its thickness is about 30 km, and its width is 6400 km. The halo extends halfway from the main ring down to the Jovian cloud tops and expands as it interacts with magnetic field planets. The third ring is known as the gossamer ring because of its transparency.
Meteorites striking the surface of Jupiter's small inner moons kick up dust, which then enters orbit around Jupiter, forming rings.
Jupiter has 53 confirmed moons orbiting it and another 14 unconfirmed moons.
Jupiter's four largest moons - called the Galilean moons - are Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. The honor of their discovery belongs to Galileo Galilei, and this was in 1610. They are named in honor of those close to Zeus (whose Roman counterpart is Jupiter).
Volcanoes rage on Io; there is a subglacial ocean on Europa and perhaps there is life in it; Ganymede is the largest of the moons in the solar system, and has its own magnetosphere; and Callisto has the lowest reflectivity of the four Galilean moons. There is a version that the surface of this moon consists of dark, colorless rock.
Video: Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system
We hope that we have given a complete answer to the question of which planet in the solar system is the largest!
The term "Universe" refers to a space that has no boundaries and is filled with galaxies, pulsars, quasars, black holes and matter. Galaxies, in turn, consist of clusters of stars and star systems.
For example, the Milky Way includes 200 billion stars, among which the Sun is far from the largest and brightest. And our solar system, which includes the Earth and other planets, is certainly not the only one in the Universe. The largest and smallest planets of the Solar System and the Universe as a whole will be discussed below.
The largest planet in the solar system
Jupiter is a planet located in 5th place in terms of distance from the Sun and is recognized as the largest in the Solar System. The radius of the planet is 69,911 km.
- Jupiter is a "shield" for the Earth, blocking the path of comets and other celestial bodies due to its gravity.
- The temperature of Jupiter's core is 20,000 °C.
- There are no solid places on the surface of Jupiter; instead, a boiling hydrogen ocean rages.
- The mass of Jupiter is 2.5 times greater than the total mass of the other planets of the Solar System and amounts to 1.8986*10²⁷ kg.
- Jupiter has the largest number satellites in the solar system - 63 objects. And on Europa (a satellite of Jupiter) there is supposedly water under ice deposits.
- The Great Red Spot is an atmospheric vortex on Jupiter that has not subsided for 300 years. Its size is gradually decreasing, but even 100 years ago the volume of the vortex was compared with the volume of the Earth.
- A day on Jupiter is only 10 Earth hours, and a year is 12 Earth years.
The smallest planet in the solar system
Not so long ago, this title was transferred to the planet Mercury from Pluto, which was previously included in the Solar System as a planet, but since August 2006 it is not considered one.
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. Its radius is 2,439.7 km.
- Mercury is the only planet that has no natural satellites.
- A day on Mercury is equivalent to 176 Earth days.
- The first mention of Mercury was recorded 3,000 years ago.
- The temperature range on Mercury is impressive: at night the temperature reaches -167°C, during the day – up to +480°C.
- Reserves of water ice have been discovered at the bottom of Mercury's deep craters.
- Clouds form at the poles of Mercury.
- The mass of Mercury is 3.3*10²³ kg.
The largest stars in the Universe
Betelgeuse. One of the brightest stars in the sky and one of the largest in the Universe (red hypergiant). Another common name for the object is Alpha Orionis. As its second name suggests, Betelgeuse is located in the constellation Orion. The size of the star is 1180 solar radii (the radius of the Sun is 690,000 km).
Scientists believe that over the next millennium, Betelgeuse will degenerate into a supernova because it is rapidly aging, although it was formed not so long ago - several million years ago. Considering that the distance from Earth is only 640 light years, our descendants will witness one of the greatest spectacles in the Universe.
RW Cepheus. A star in the constellation Cepheus, also recognized as a red hypergiant. True, scientists are still debating about its size. Some argue that the radius RW of Cepheus is equal to 1260 radii of the Sun, others believe that it should be equated to 1650 radii. The stellar object is 11,500 light years away from Earth.
KW Sagittarius. A red supergiant located in the constellation Sagittarius. The distance to the Sun is 10,000 light years. As for the size, the radius of the supergiant is equal to 1460 solar radii.
KY Swan. A star belonging to the constellation Cygnus and distant from Earth at a distance of 5,000 light years. Since today scientists have not yet received a clear image of the object, debate about its size is still ongoing. Most believe that the radius of KY Cygnus is 1420 solar radii. Alternative version- 2850 radii.
V354 Cephei. Red supergiant and variable star of the Milky Way galaxy. The radius of V354 Cepheus is 1520 times that of the Sun. The stellar object is located relatively close to Earth - only 9,000 light years away.
WOH G64. A red hypergiant star located in the constellation Doradus, which in turn belongs to the dwarf galaxy Large Magellanic Cloud. The star WOH G64 is 1540 times larger than the Sun and 40 times heavier.
V838 Unicorn. A red variable star belonging to the constellation Monoceros. The distance from the star to Earth is equal to 20,000 light years, so the calculations made on the size of V838 Monoceros are only approximate. Today it is generally accepted that the size of the object exceeds the size of the Sun by 1170-1970 times.
Mu Cephei. Also known as Herschel's Garnet Star. It is a red supergiant located in the constellation Cepheus (Milky Way galaxy). In addition to its size (Mu Cephei is 1650 times larger than the Sun), the star is notable for its brightness. It is more than 38,000 times brighter than the sun, representing one of the brightest luminaries Milky Way.
VV Cephei A. A red hypergiant that belongs to the constellation Cepheus and is 2,400 light years away from Earth. The size of VV Cepheus A is 1800 times the size of the Sun. As for the mass, it exceeds the solar mass by 100 times. It has been scientifically confirmed that component A is a physically variable star that pulsates with a periodicity of 150 days
VY Canis Major . The largest star in the Universe is located in the constellation Canis Major and is a red hypergiant. The distance from the star to Earth is equal to 5,000 light years. The radius of VY Canis Majoris was determined in 2005; it is 2,000 solar radii. And the mass exceeds the solar mass by 40 times.
Magnetic planets
The magnetic field cannot be observed visually, but its presence or absence is recorded with a high degree of accuracy by modern instruments. The earth is a huge magnet. Thanks to this, our planet is protected from cosmic radiation generated by the solar wind - highly charged particles “shot” by the Sun.
The Earth's protective magnetosphere deflects the approaching flows of these particles and directs them around its axis. In the absence of a magnetic field, cosmic radiation will destroy the atmosphere on Earth. Scientists suggest that this is exactly what happened on Mars.
There is no magnetic field on Mars, but magnetic poles have been discovered on it, reminiscent of the magnetosphere at the bottom of Earth's oceans. The magnetic poles of Mars are so strong that they extend hundreds of kilometers into the atmosphere. In addition, they interact with cosmic radiation and even create auroras, recorded by scientists.
However, the absence of a magnetosphere is a consequence of the lack of liquid water on Mars. And in order for a person to move safely on the surface of the planet, it is necessary to develop individual protection, a personal “magnetic field” for everyone.
3. Mercury's magnetic field. Mercury, like the Earth, is protected by a magnetosphere. This discovery was made in 1974. The planet also has north and south magnetic poles. The South Pole is exposed to much more radiation than the North Pole.
A new phenomenon has also been discovered on Mercury - magnetic tornadoes. They are twisted beams originating in a magnetic field and moving into interplanetary space. Mercury's magnetic tornadoes are capable of covering an area 800 km wide and up to a third of the radius of the planet.
4. Magnetosphere of Venus. Venus, which is often compared to the Earth and even considered its twin, also has a magnetic field, although it is extremely weak, 10,000 times weaker than the Earth’s. Scientists have not yet established the reasons for this.
5. Magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter's magnetosphere is 20,000 times stronger than Earth's and is considered the largest in the solar system. Electrically charged particles surrounding the planet periodically interact with other planets and objects, causing harm to them. containment shells.
Saturn's magnetic field is notable only for the fact that its axis coincides 100% with the axis of rotation, which is not observed for other planets.
6. Magnetic field of Uranus and Neptune. The magnetospheres of Uranus and Neptune differ from the other planets in that they have 2 north and 2 south poles. However, the nature of the emergence and interaction of fields with interplanetary space is not completely clear.
The largest planet in the Universe
TrES-4 is recognized as the No. 1 planet in the Universe by its size. It was discovered only in 2006. TrES-4 is a planet in the Hercules constellation, its distance from Earth is 1,400 light years.
The giant planet is 1.7 times larger than Jupiter (Jupiter's radius is 69,911 km), and its temperature reaches 1260°C. Scientists are convinced that the planet TrES-4 does not have a solid surface, and the main component of the planet is hydrogen.
The smallest planet in the Universe
In 2013, scientists discovered a planet recognized as the smallest in the Universe - Kepler-37b. This planet is one of three planets orbiting the star Kepler-37.
Exact dimensions It has not yet been possible to establish it, but in terms of dimensions Kepler-37b is comparable to the Moon, whose radius is 1737.1 km. Presumably, the planet Kepler-37b consists of rock.
Giant satellites and the smallest satellites in space
The largest satellite in the Universe today is considered to be Ganymede, a satellite of Jupiter. Its diameter is 5270 km. Ganymede mostly consists of ice and silicates, the core of the satellite is liquid, scientists even suggest the presence of water in it. Ganymede also forms its own magnetosphere and a thin atmosphere in which oxygen is found.
The smallest satellite in the Universe is considered to be S/2010 J 2. It is noteworthy that this is again a satellite of Jupiter. The diameter of S/2010 J 2 is 2 km. Its discovery occurred in 2010, and today the detailed characteristics of the satellite are only being studied using modern instruments.
The universe is equally known and unknown to mankind, since this space is extremely changeable. And although today people’s knowledge is hundreds of times greater than the knowledge of our predecessors, scientists say that all the greatest discoveries of the Universe are yet to come.