Jupiter the largest planet

Jupiter is the fifth of nine planets in our solar system and is is one of the outer "gas giant" planets. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and only Venus (and the Moon) are brighter in the night sky. Jupiter has 92 known moons (maybe up to 600). It is not believed to have a solid surface.

Jupiter 4K pan-zoom image

Pan, zoom, or go full-screen with this megapixel image of Jupiter.

Jupiter facts

Jupiter cloud features

Saturn has no solid surface, so only atmospheric features such as light cloud zones, dark cloud belts, festoons, and the infamous Great Red Spot and Red Spot Jr storms are visible.

Jupiter poles

The north pole of Mercury holds quantities of water ice trapped in deep craters that are permanently in shadow.

Rings of Jupiter

Jupiter has five faint rings, listed in order of distance. Several moons play a role in either shepherding/constraining rings (shepherd moons) or in providing source material for moons (ring maker moons).

Largest moons of Jupiter (4 out of 92 shown)

Jupiter has 80 known moons, with Ganymede being the largest (Ganymede is larger than planet Mercury). The largest four moons are shown, all of which can be seen through binoculars. For information on all 92 moons, see Moons of Jupiter. In addition, there may be up to 600 moons total, most of which are still undiscovered.

Ganymede

Callisto

Europa

Io

Jupiter vs. Earth ratios

Planet sizes are to relative scale.

JUPITER

diameter = 11.2
gravity = 2.36
radiation = 65
solar irradiance = 0.04
day = 0.4
year = 11.9
sun distance = 5.2

EARTH

diameter = 1
gravity = 1
radiation = 1
solar irradiance = 1
day = 1
year = 1
sun distance = 1