Jupiter
Jupiter is the first of the 'Gas Giants' and the biggest planet in the Solar System.  It's most distinctive markings are the 'belts' which go all the way around the planet from top to bottom.  However, even more noticeable is the 'Great Red Spot'.

Jupiter has a very faint ring which circles it.  This ring is made up of bits of rock and ice which orbit the planet like thousands of little moons.

  • The 'Great Red Spot' is actually a huge hurricane which is larger than the Earth - in fact, you could fit the Earth into the Great Red Spot three times and still have space left over. 
  • Jupiter is so large that all of the other planets of the solar system could fit inside it.
  • One day on Jupiter is equal to about 10 hours on Earth, while one year lasts for nearly 12 Earth years.
  • Jupiter gives off twice as much heat as it gets from the Sun.
  • Jupiter has 38 named moons, and may have as many as 63!
  • Jupiter has a system of thin rings, the majority of which are made up of very small particles, believed to be debris from meteorite collisions.
  • Oh yes, and what would you weigh on Jupiter? 2½ times your weight on Earth.

Jupiter's strangest moon is Io (pictured left).  It orbits quite close to the planet and can be seen when looking at Jupiter through a good telescope.  It is made from rock and has active volcanoes across its surface.  Some of these shoot gases, ash and liquid as high as 200 metres into the air.  Higher surface temperatures have been detected on Io than on any other planetary body in our solar system!