Jupiter is so large a planet that it can be compared to a star that did not go up in flames. If it was around eighty times bigger it would have been a star and not considered a planet. It is the largest planet in the solar system and has four moons, which are almost the size of a planet, and numerous smaller moons.



It can be said to be a diminutive solar system. Jupiter is the fifth planet and by far the largest in our solar system. It can accommodate more than one thousand earth size planets if turned into a hollow. The matter contained in Jupiter is more than that of all the other planets in our solar system when put together.

Unlike Venus, Earth, Mercury, or Mars, Jupiter does not have rocky surface but it is a gigantic ball of gas. It is just impossible for a spacecraft to land on its surface and a good way to understand will be to compare it with an airplane landing or trying to land on the clouds!

Gases on Jupiter do not burn and produce light, like that of the sun, even though it is very heavy for a planet; it is not massive enough to produce thermonuclear reactions in its core that would turn it into a star. As even the smallest type of stars, brown dwarf is as mentioned earlier eighty times heavier!

History of Jupiter began almost around the same time as of earth, that is some 4,500 million years ago; but it is absolutely different from our own world. Jupiter is still enclosed by nebula from which it had originally formed.

As far as known to man Jupiter has 28 known satellites, out of which four; Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Casllisto were discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610, through his archaic telescope. Together, these four moons today are called as the Galilean satellites. Some time back 12 more satellites have been discovered but they are still under research and have a provisional status only. They have to be declared as official satellites of Jupiter and named.

Jupiter also has a ring around it but being very faint is completely invisible from the earth. Voyagers 1 discovered this fact in 1979. It has a very dense atmosphere maybe consisting of the entire planet, can be said to be like the sun to some extent. Main composition of the atmosphere is found to be of hydrogen and helium, with traces of methane, ammonia, water vapor and other compounds also found. Hydrogen becomes metallic in this state.

It is surprisingly easy to see Jupiter with naked eyes, even if you do not know which side of the sky to see. It is the most radiant star after Venus and it is the brightest star which shines without twinkling!

Jupiter plays a major in the reading of horoscopes along with the other major planets. More and more people are now influenced by their horoscopes. In recent years people are now able to have a free daily horoscope emailed to them. These horoscopes help them make plans for the future.