Jupiter is the largest planet in the world, or as it is commonly called, the largest planet in the solar system. The diameter of this wonder of the world is 143,884 kilometers, and its mass is 318 times greater than that of the Earth. The planet's rotation time around its axis is 9 hours and 55 minutes. Experts also calculated the exact number of seconds during rotation – 29.69.
In narrow circles, Jupiter is called a gas giant. A large amount of metallic hydrogen was found inside it. The depth of such an “ocean” is 55,000 kilometers. This substance is formed as a result of the ionization of liquid hydrogen under high pressure. Ionization then gives hydrogen the properties of a metal.
A huge collision in the solar system
In the summer (July) of 1994, particles from comet Shoemaker-Levy hit Juriter. The largest part fell on Jupiter on July 18. At that moment, a powerful explosion occurred, releasing energy equal to 6 billion megatons (measured in fuel equivalent).
In 2010 (June), the largest planet collided with a huge asteroid in the solar system. A scientist named Anthony Wesley observed this event and captured the moment when Jupiter collided with an asteroid whose size was 8-13 meters.
Features of Jupiter
-- The planet's mass is 3 times greater than the weight of all other planets in the solar system. According to experts who have been studying the giant for decades, most of it consists of gases and liquids that surround its solid core.
- Jupiter has atmospheric belts. They consist of ice crystals of ammonium and methane. Such molecules are located at an altitude of 1280 kilometers from the planet, and form atmospheric belts.
-- The atmosphere of the giant planet, in certain properties, is similar to the Solar one. It contains 86.1 percent hydrogen and 13.8 percent helium. The remaining elements of the periodic table are present, but in minimal quantities.
-- The planet has very high temperature and pressure. Such phenomena compress hydrogen gas, producing a dense substance that turns into a liquid state.
Once Jupiter's pressure increases, hydrogen is converted to methane. Due to the fact that the “record holder” moves quite quickly, powerful electric currents are formed in this layer. These electric currents generate a large magnetic field, with a power several times higher than that of the Earth.
-- The solid core of Jupiter is 2 times larger than the size of the Earth.
Our Universe is truly huge. Pulsars, planets, stars, black holes and hundreds of other objects of incomprehensible size that are found in the Universe.
And today we would like to talk about the 10 biggest things. In this list, we've put together a collection of some of the largest objects in space, including nebulae, pulsars, galaxies, planets, stars, and more.
Without further delay, here is a list of the ten biggest things in the universe.
The largest planet in the Universe is TrES-4. It was discovered in 2006 and is located in the constellation Hercules. The planet, called TrES-4, orbits a star that is about 1,400 light-years away from planet Earth.
The planet TrES-4 itself is a ball that consists primarily of hydrogen. Its dimensions are 20 times greater than the size of the Earth. Researchers claim that the diameter of the discovered planet is almost 2 times (more precisely 1.7) larger than the diameter of Jupiter (this is the largest planet solar system). The temperature of TrES-4 is about 1260 degrees Celsius.
By far the largest star is UY Scuti in the constellation Scutum, about 9,500 light-years away. This is one of the most bright stars- it is 340 thousand times brighter than our Sun. Its diameter is 2.4 billion km, which is 1700 times larger than our star, with a weight of only 30 times the mass of the sun. It’s a pity that it is constantly losing mass; it is also called the fastest burning star. This may be why some scientists consider NML Cygnus the largest star, and others consider VY Canis Majoris.
Black holes are not measured in kilometers; the key indicator is their mass. The largest black hole is in the galaxy NGC 1277, which is not the largest. However, the hole in the galaxy NGC 1277 has 17 billion solar masses, which is 17% of the total mass of the galaxy. By comparison, our Milky Way's black hole has a mass of 0.1% of the galaxy's total mass.
7. Largest galaxy
The mega-monster among the currently known galaxies is IC1101. The distance to Earth is about 1 billion light years. Its diameter is about 6 million light years and holds about 100 trillion. stars; for comparison, the diameter of the Milky Way is 100 thousand light years. Compared to the Milky Way, IC 1101 is more than 50 times larger and 2,000 times more massive.
Lyman-alpha blobs (drops, clouds) are amorphous bodies resembling amoebas or jellyfish in shape, consisting of a huge concentration of hydrogen. These blots are the initial and very short stage of the birth of a new galaxy. The largest of them, LAB-1, is more than 200 million light years wide and is located in the constellation Aquarius.
In the photo on the left, LAB-1 is recorded by instruments, on the right is an assumption of what it might look like up close.
A radio galaxy is a type of galaxy that has much greater radio emission compared to other galaxies.
Galaxies, as a rule, are located in clusters (clusters), which have a gravitational connection and expand with space and time. What is located in those places where there are no galaxies? Nothing! Regions of the Universe in which there is only “nothing” and is emptiness. The largest of them is the emptiness of Bootes. It is located in close proximity to the constellation Bootes and has a diameter of about 250 million light years. Distance to Earth approximately 1 billion light years
The largest supercluster of galaxies is the Shapley supercluster. Shapley is located in the constellation Centaurus and appears as a bright clump in the distribution of galaxies. This is the largest array of objects connected by gravity. Its length is 650 million light years.
The largest group of quasars (a quasar is a bright, energetic galaxy) is the Huge-LQG, also called U1.27. This structure consists of 73 quasars and has a diameter of 4 billion light years. However, the Great GRB Wall, which has a diameter of 10 billion light years, also claims primacy - the number of quasars is unknown. Availability of such large groups quasars in the Universe contradict Einstein’s Cosmological Principle, so their research is doubly interesting for scientists.
If astronomers have disputes about other objects in the Universe, then in this case almost all of them are unanimous in the opinion that the largest object in the Universe is the Cosmic Web. Endless clusters of galaxies surrounded by black matter form “nodes” and, with the help of gases, “threads”, which in appearance are very reminiscent of a three-dimensional web. Scientists believe that the cosmic web entangles the entire Universe and connects all objects in space.
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 components are particles of ice, 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. The planet is being studied by a research station whose tasks include analyzing 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
Large size Neptune possesses and is the fourth largest planet in diameter. In its atmosphere the most raging strong winds, which can reach 2100 kilometers per hour, and the temperature is close to 220 degrees with a minus sign. 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. 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 greatest number satellites - 69. Among them are the large Galilean satellites - 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.
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. We can say that these are 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 appears first in evening time and the last one 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 is predominantly composed of great plains of volcanic origin, the rest from 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 is 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 At this time, it is accompanied by a 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 largest planets The solar system is the seventh closest to the Sun, the third largest and the 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 1500 km to less than 20 km in diameter. The planet's moons are made of ice. rocks and other microelements. Uranus itself has a rocky core surrounded by a blanket of water, ammonia and methane. The atmosphere consists of hydrogen, helium and methane with a top layer of 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 most major planets 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, the main feature of Jupiter is the Great Red Spot - 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 of 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!
