As of 2016, Jupiter encompasses 67 known satellites, plus the 4 large Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede), as wells as numerous small ones, which remain unnamed. The surface also experiences oval-shaped storms. Jupiter consists of four rings mainly made up of dust. The exterior gaseous part is split into bands of brown, red, yellow and white clouds. Theoretical evidence stipulates that Jupiter‘s core is made up of metallic hydrogen and rock. This means that if you were to land on the surface, you would sink into it. It’s 90% hydrogen and 10% helium, as well as traces of methane, water, and ammonia. Jupiter is made up of gas and liquid, and has no solid. Despite its sheer size, Jupiter rotates on its axis pretty fast (in 9hrs and 19 min). Jupiter rotates around the sun once each 12 years. Jupiter is the largest of all the planets in the solar systems (142,980 kilometers in diameter) and more than 11 times wider than Planet Earth. READ: What are Geological Faults? Causes and Types of Geological Faults 5. Mars has a relatively thin atmosphere, and consists of two small moons. The rock is sprinkled with iron oxide, which gives the planet its characteristic red tint. The surface is mostly covered by iron-rich volcanic rock. Mars takes 687 days to orbit once around the sun, and its rotation speed is equal to the earth’s (24.6hrs). It has almost similar characteristics to earth such as mountain ranges, rolling plains, gigantic canyons, and volcanoes. Mars is a little bigger than the earth (about 6,790 kilometers in diameter). It often called the red planet and nicknamed Roman god of war. The earth revolves around its axis every 24 hours and orbits the sun every 365 days (a year). Earth is the 5th largest planet in the solar system (12,000 kilometers in diameter) and is thought to be 4.6 billion years old. The surface is formed of a thin rocky crust. The next layer is called the mantle and is made up of rock, mostly viscous or semi-liquid state. The inner core is solid, while the outer core is liquid. Earth’s core is almost entirely composed of iron. It has active plate movement and humans also live on this planet. EarthĮarth is a unique plant in the entire solar system because it teems with life, including millions of aquatic and terrestrial animal and plant species. Mercury and Venus are the only planets that do not have moons. It takes 243 days to make a complete turn.
This atmosphere is the reason why Venus appears brownish-yellow. In fact, Venus’ atmosphere has more acid per cubic centimeters than a car battery. Humans could not breathe in Venus since the atmosphere would be severely toxic. READ: 25+ Amazing Facts About the Lunar Eclipse Venus has a characteristic thick atmosphere, composed mainly of sulphuric acid and carbon dioxide. Surface temperatures of Venus approach 900 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt the surface of the earth. It’s nicknamed ‘’the morning star,” and thought to be the most inhabitable planet. It’s similar size to the Earth, about 7300 miles (12,000 kilometers). Venus is the second planet from the sun, and close to the earth, which is why it’s often referred to as our sister planet. Mercury is thought to be more than two-thirds metallic and a third silicon or rock. Despite its short year, a single day on Mercury is equivalent to about 59 Earth days. Mercury orbits the sun every 88 days, faster than any planet, by far. Since it’s the nearest planet to the sun, surface temperatures can go up to a scorching 800 degrees Fahrenheit to a freezing -300 degrees below zero. Mercury is 48 million miles from the earth.
It’s also the closest planet to the sun, making it dangerous to explore. In fact, it’s the second densest planet after Earth. Despite being the smallest, it’s extremely dense. Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, approximately 3000 miles (4850 km) in diameter, hardly larger than the moon.