Monday, January 14, 2013

Jupiter-King of Planets !


It is easy to spot the king of planets if it is present in our night sky because it is the brightest object over there,after Moon & Venus (Venus is visible only near sunset or sunrise ).This colossal giant is so huge that a 1,000 earths could comfortably settle inside it,or all the planets put together.It has beautiful bands of colors caused by fast moving clouds & thick layers of gases.You can see the first true color picture of this planet above.

It is known as a gas giant because it does not have a solid surface.It's atmosphere mainly consists of hydrogen & helium.Beneath the atmosphere is a large ocean of hydrogen & water.It is mainly composed of gas & liquid gas.Jupiter has tremendous atmospheric pressure.The temperature at it's top layer is -200*F but it may increase up to 43,000*F at the core.This core is probably made up of liquid  rock & it comprises only 5% of the total mass.

In fact the composition of Jupiter is quite like that of sun.It even has a miniature solar system of four large & many other smaller moons.In addition to this there are Trojans--two groups of asteroids-- which accompany Jupiter in it's orbit,one behind & the other in front of it..Next ,there are thin rings composed of rocky bits,which circle Jupiter at high speed-completing one round in only six hours.

Jupiter has a stormy weather--winds blowing at a speed of 300-400mph.These winds do not blow in the same direction but in bands of opposite directions.The points where these opposing forces meet suffer furious clashes.Lightening & storms afflict the  whole planet.A huge storm which has been raging for at least 300 yrs gives it the famous Red Spot.This spot is so big that it could easily accommodate Earth.

Since it is such a mammoth planet, it's magnetism too, is stupendous--20,000 times as strong as that of earth.It extends to millions of miles in space--reaching up to Saturn's orbit,which is 400 million miles away from it.It's gravity too is two & a half times that of earth--you will find it difficult to walk on it's surface (oops!But   there is no surface at all,just gas,gas & more gas!).Only sun has greater gravity.

Some more interesting facts--Driving a car @ 50mph you will take six years to circle it's equator.On earth it takes only three weeks to do so.
 Jupiter rotates faster than any other planet in our solar system.
It's day consists of less than 10 earth hours & but it revolves round the sun in 11.9 yrs travelling at an average speed of 29,236mph. Well this speed is not a measly one but if you watch it day after day you will hardly notice any change in it's position.This demonstrates once again,how gigantic our solar system is!

Astrologers link Jupiter's presence in a horoscope with expansion,abundance & affluence.It all depends on, which sector this king is relaxing in.If it is the second sector then your financial status is going to expaand but if it is in the eleventh sector then friendships & social activities will blossom.

Text courtesy Robin Kerrod.
Images courtesy zazzle.com & wikipedia.

28 comments :

  1. Once again a knowledgeable post presented in the simplest form. My friend has Jupiter as ruling planet. It certainly is related with expansion,abundance & affluence.

    Good one Indu.

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  2. it rotates quite fast given its huge size! I am always amazed why after Mars, no planet is solid in our solar system, there has to be some reason behind it.

    great post!

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    1. Meenakshi in the beginning a disk of gas & dust surrounded sun.Since the inner part was hot, bits of rock & metal coagulated to form terrestrial planets.On the outer side it was much colder & the bits were of frozen gases & lumps of ice.These lumps clumped together to form planets & attracted solar flares of gases to get bigger.

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  3. Lovely to read about the gas-giant in our planetary system...The Universe is worth investigating:))
    I read somewhere that, two moons are slowly getting closer to Jupiter and soon going to crash on it!Arghh...We are puny, and hanging on by a thread.
    Enjoyed the narration n loved it completely, Indu...:))

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    1. Thank you Panchali-so nice of you.

      Yes we are very tiny,but we all,are all we know!!

      I guess if the moons crash into it they will drown in an ocean of gases.No harm to the king!!!!!

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  4. Good stuff. Except that it isn't the brightest object in the night sky.

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    1. Hey unknownshri welcome to the gang.
      You mean after the moon & Venus another planet shines brighter than Jupiter?Do tell us which one.

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  5. Yes, I've heard of the significance of planets especially Jupiter in astrology!

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  6. I started the New Year by observing this gas giant through an astronomical telescope. :)

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    1. Oh wow Medha,that must have been a brilliant sight.I envy you from the bottom of my heart.Keep it up girl!!!!!!!

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  7. nice info about planet..
    thanks and happy new year and happy sakranti to u

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    1. Thank you Santosh.Please keep visiting & have a nice year.

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  8. Wonderful indeed! Thank you Indu:)

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  9. Your planet posts are getting better by the day. Good read indeed this was and the visual was a cool touch

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    1. TF comments such as yours are truly encouraging-thanks a ton.

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  10. Such an enormous planet, wish earth was a bit bigger to accommodate the rising population. Thanks for sharing this information. We are learning about planets through your posts.

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    1. Saru you are welcome.

      Since earth will not expand,man is looking at other planets to plunder.

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  11. Jupiter indeed is full of hot air! :D The fact that its day is 10 earth hours reminded me of the story of the Little Prince where the planet rotates so fast that the man lighting the lamp has to be constantly at it -- as the day ends the moment he lights the lamp and he has to put it off since it has become morning and so on...

    But just imagine a planet that has no surface except gases! Our universe is indeed awesome, isn't it?

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    1. Your 'hot air' gave me a hearty laugh.I have not read this story but it sounds interesting & so very imaginative--or maybe the writer knew much more than us about the planets.

      We have certainly been blessed with the best piece of land to live in.I suppose if it had not been thus then we wouldn't have existed,or survived---ah this is all for the scientists to fathom!

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  12. Nice post !!! Thanks for sharing...

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  13. ah ha I would not mind the king in my astrology , all the time :)

    nice one mam..

    Bikram's

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    1. Bikranjit beware--you could expaaaand physically!!!!!

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  14. knowledgeable read :)

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