JUPITER

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, with a diameter of about 142,984 kilometers, and is classified as a gas giant. It is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with no solid surface, and its immense size makes it more massive than all the other planets combined. Jupiter has a strong magnetic field and at least 79 moons, including the four largest, known as the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. The planet’s most famous feature is the Great Red Spot, a massive storm that has been raging for at least 300 years, possibly longer. Jupiter has a fast rotation, completing one spin on its axis in just under 10 hours, causing its atmosphere to form distinct bands of clouds, with powerful winds and turbulent weather patterns. Beneath its thick cloud layers, Jupiter likely has a core of heavier elements, but its exact composition is still a subject of study. The planet emits more heat than it receives from the Sun, suggesting that it generates energy through internal processes, possibly related to the slow contraction of its massive core.

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