We do not actually know too much about what is underneath Jupiter’s clouds. This is despite it being the largest planet in the solar system. We do not even know if there is a solid surface at all on the planet.
The clouds surrounding Jupiter are seen to be around 30 miles, or 50 km, thick. Under these thick clouds, there is an incredibly thick layer of helium and hydrogen. This layer is around 13,000 miles (21,000 km) thick.
This changes between a gas and liquid depending on the depth of this layer and the pressure.
Underneath this layer of hydrogen and helium, there is an incredibly deep sea. This sea is composed of metallic hydrogen, which is a liquid. This sea is thought to be about 25,000 miles or 40,000 km deep.
Under this, there is a chance that there is a solid core similar to the one that is on Earth.
It is thought that if there is a similar core similar to Earth, it would be about 1 and a half times the size of Earth. This is not Earth’s core, but the Earth itself. It would be about thirty times more massive and would have a temperature of around 55,000 Fahrenheit (30,000 Celsius). The pressure here would also be incredibly high because of the intense weight of the atmosphere above it.
So this might be seen as a solid surface. However, it is not similar to the type that is on a rocky planet. There is not a chance you would be able to walk on it because of the intense pressure.
What Jupiter is composed of and questions about the planet and its structure and incredibly thought-provoking and exciting to explore.
The rest of this article will review more elements of what Jupiter is composed of. We will also look at discoveries that have been made that have taught us more about this planet.
So, if you are interested in Jupiter and you want to know more about it, this article will give you useful information!
What Are Jupiter’s Stripes?
When viewing Jupiter or looking at pictures of it, you will notice that it has big stripes of color across the surface. These are generally referred to as bands. The lighter colored stripes you will see on Jupiter are known as zones.
These zones are parts of Jupiter where the gas in the atmosphere rise upwards.
Between the lighter-colored zones are the darker bands called belts. The reason these bands are dark is that the gas in these regions is sinking.
The reason that belts and zones have different colors is because of differences in their temperature and chemical composition.
If these bands are next to each other, they usually have winds moving in the opposite direction.
One of the most noticeable features of Jupiter that can be easily recognized when observing the planet is the red marking. This giant spot is called the Great Red Spot.
This spot has been recognized as a massive storm spinning in the atmosphere of Jupiter. This can be compared to a hurricane on Earth. However, the size of this is much larger.
This red spot on Jupiter is actually recognized to be about 3 times as big as Earth. The winds in this storm can get as fast as 270 miles per hour (435 km/h).
We do not know when this storm first appeared. However, it has existed since people started using telescopes more than 400 years ago.
How Big Is Jupiter Compared To Earth?
The best way to compare the size of Jupiter to that of Earth is to compare the diameter (Also check out How Many Times Bigger Is The Sun Than The Earth?). The diameter of Jupiter is close to 88,695 miles across, or 142,800 km. This is over 11 times larger than the diameter of Earth.
This means that the volume of Jupiter is around 1,300 times larger than Earth’s. Comparing the volume like this means that you could fit about 1300 Earths inside Jupiter if it were hollow.
Jupiter is so large that it has a weight of more than 2.5 times that of every other planet in the solar system combined.
Juno Discoveries
Juno was launched by NASA in 2011. The craft reached Jupiter in 2016. The mission has given us some fantastic information on this gas giant. As such, there is now much more information on what it is like on Jupiter.
For example, it was discovered that cyclones are hiding on the planet which create unique patterns. There are jet streams on the planet that change the fluid body of the planet.
In 2021 four separate studies were published using information from Juno. These made some fantastic observations giving information about the planet.
For example, one study by Luciano Iess looked into the planet’s gravitational field. It found that the planet lacked normal north and south symmetry due to the winds flowing in the atmosphere and the interior.
Another by Yohai Kaspi looked into these winds and jet streams, which can go 3000 km under cloud level. It also discovered that the atmosphere of Jupiter is about 1% of its mass.
Interestingly, Tristan Guillot’s study determined that under these deep jet streams, a mix of hydrogen and helium flows like a solid body.
Summary
Hopefully, this guide has given you all the necessary information on Jupiter and what is underneath its clouds.
While there is still a lot to learn about what is underneath the clouds of Jupiter, missions like Juno show that progress is being made, and we will learn more about this planet that is so different from Earth!
Hi, my name is Jason Anderson, and I am a Physics Professor. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with space, the universe, the moon, you name it. I spent hours and hours at the planetarium close to my hometown, wondering what else could be out in the universe.
Since then, I’ve been an avid stargazer and astronomer, and love nothing more than spending my time charting stars, observing planets, and finding constellations.
This is why I decided to start Telescope Guru. I only wish to share this fun pastime with the world. With this site, I hope to answer all of your questions relating to astronomy, telescopes, and stargazing.
