Space / Astronomy: What's Hot Now: Jupiter

Space / Astronomy: What's Hot Now These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com

Jupiter Jan 21st 2012, 11:06 MEAN RADIUS: 69911 km MASS: 317.8 (Earth=1) DENSITY: 1.31 (g/cm^3) GRAVITY: 2.34 (Earth=1) ORBIT PERIOD: 11.86 (Earth years) ROTATION PERIOD: .414 (Earth days) SEMIMAJOR AXIS OF ORBIT: 5.2 au ECCENTRICITY OF ORBIT: 0.004 Named after Jove, the chief god of Roman mythology, Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet in Earth's solar system. Besides the Sun, the Moon, and Venus, Jupiter is the brightest object in Earth's sky, often mistaken as a star. Jupiter is more than three times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star. The Italian scientist, Galileo Galilei was the first astronomer to view Jupiter through a telescope. While viewing Jupiter, he observed four satellites orbiting the planet, which lent credence to the Copernican theory that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. Previously, many people held to the belief, developed by 2nd century astronomer, Ptolemy, that everything revolved around the Earth. Galileo's discovery was a major step forward for astronomy. Jupiter's satellites are mostly named for his mythological lovers. Many smaller moons have been discovered recently, but are as yet unnamed. Jupiter Satellites: Metis Distance (000km) 128 - Radius (km) 20 - Mass (kg) 9.56e16 - Discovered By & Year Synnott 1979 Adrastea Distance (000km) 129 - Radius (km) 10 - Mass (kg) 1.91e16 - Discovered By & Year Jewitt 1979 Amalthea Distance (000km) 181 - Radius (km) 98 - Mass (kg) 7.17e18 - Discovered By & Year Barnard 1892 Thebe Distance (000km) 222 - Radius (km) 50 - Mass (kg) 7.77e17 - Discovered By & Year Synnott 1979 Io Distance (000km) 422 - Radius (km) 1815 - Mass (kg) 8.94e22 - Discovered By & Year Galileo 1610 Europa Distance (000km) 671 - Radius (km) 1569 - Mass (kg) 4.80e22 - Discovered By & Year Galileo 1610 Ganymede Distance (000km) 1070 - Radius (km) (000km) 2631 - Mass (kg) 1.48e23 - Discovered By & Year Galileo 1610 Callisto Distance (000km) 1883 - Radius (km) (000km) 2400 - Mass (kg) 1.08e23 - Discovered By & Year Galileo 1610 Leda Distance (000km) 11094 - Radius (km) 8 - Mass (kg) 5.68e15 Kowal - Discovered By & Year 1974 Himalia Distance (000km) 11480 - Radius (km) (000km) 93 - Mass (kg) 9.56e18 - Discovered By & Year Perrine 1904 Lysithea Distance (000km) 11720 - Radius (km) 18 - Mass (kg) 7.77e16 - Discovered By & Year Nicholson 1938 Elara Distance (000km) 11737 - Radius (km) 38 - Mass (kg) 7.77e17 - Discovered By & Year Perrine 1905 Ananke Distance (000km) 21200 - Radius (km) 15 - Mass (kg) 3.82e16 - Discovered By & Year Nicholson 1951 Carme Distance (000km) 22600 - Radius (km) 20 - Mass (kg) 9.56e16 - Discovered By & Year Nicholson 1938 Pasiphae Distance (000km) 23500 - Radius (km) (000km) 25 - Mass (kg) 1.91e17 - Discovered By & Year Melotte 1908 Sinope Distance (000km) 23700 - Radius (km) 18 - Mass (kg) 7.77e16 - Discovered By & Year Nicholson 1914

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