The useful idea
- Fifth and largest
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, and the largest in the Solar System.
- A gas giant
This is a gas giant with a mass nearly 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined and slightly less than one-thousandth the mass of the Sun.
- Moons orbit
At least 115 moons orbit the planet; the four largest moons—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—orbit within the magnetosphere and are visible with common binoculars.
Why this matters
Look for Jupiter the next time you notice this pattern in everyday life.
Try this
Look for Jupiter the next time you notice this pattern in everyday life.
Test your recall
Which idea belongs to the explanation of Jupiter?
- A gas giant
- Fifth and largest — correct
- Moons orbit
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, and the largest in the Solar System.