Jupiter
Jupiter
Planet · 5.20 AU from the Sun
Jupiter facts
- Type
- Planet
- Distance from the Sun
- 5.20 AU (7.78 × 10⁸ km)
- Orbital period (year)
- 11.9 Earth years
- Diameter
- 139,822 km
- Mass
- 1.9 × 10²⁷ kg
- Moons
- 95
- Rotation period (day)
- 9.9 hours
- Axial tilt
- 3.13°
- Mean temperature
- -110 °C
- Discovered
- Known to the ancients
Orbit
About Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet and by far the largest, a gas giant more massive than all the other planets combined. Its swirling cloud bands and the centuries-old Great Red Spot storm are driven by ferocious winds, and it commands a large family of moons.
- Named after the king of the Roman gods
- Discovered: Known to the ancients
Jupiter: frequently asked questions
- What is Jupiter?
- Jupiter is a planet in our Solar System, orbiting the Sun at an average distance of 5.20 AU (7.78 × 10⁸ km). Jupiter is the fifth planet and by far the largest, a gas giant more massive than all the other planets combined.
- How far is Jupiter from the Sun?
- Jupiter orbits the Sun at an average distance of 5.20 AU, about 7.78 × 10⁸ km. One AU is the Earth-Sun distance, so Jupiter is roughly 5.2 times Earth's distance from the Sun.
- How long is a year on Jupiter?
- Jupiter takes 11.9 Earth years to complete one orbit of the Sun, which is one Jupiter year. By Kepler's third law, bodies farther from the Sun take longer to go around.
- How many moons does Jupiter have?
- Jupiter has 95 known moons.
- How big is Jupiter?
- Jupiter has a diameter of about 139,822 km and a mass of roughly 1.9 × 10²⁷ kg.
See Jupiter in motion
Data from NASA/JPL and NSSDCA. Source.