The 5th Planet from the Sun
Interesting facts about the composition and minerals of the planet.
Gases on Jupiter
Composed predominantly of hydrogen and helium, the massive Jupiter is much like a tiny star. But despite the fact that it is the largest planet in the solar system, the gas giant just doesn't have the mass needed to push it into stellar status. When scientists call Jupiter a gas giant, they aren't exaggerating.
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a giant planet with a mass one-thousandth that of the Sun, but two-and-a-half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined. The outer atmosphere is visibly segregated into several bands at different latitudes, resulting in turbulence and storms along their interacting boundaries. A prominent result is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that is known to have existed since at least the 17th century when it was first seen by telescope. Jupiter has 79 known moons. Ganymede, the largest of these, has a diameter greater than that of the planet Mercury. Chunks of diamonds may be floating in hydrogen and helium fluid deep in the atmospheres of Saturn and Jupiter and the extreme pressure and temperature can melt the precious gem, making it rain liquid diamond.
