Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and is the largest planet in our solar system, with a diameter of about 86,881 miles (139,822 kilometers). It is located about 484 million miles (778 million kilometers) from the Sun and orbits it once every 11.86 Earth years.
Jupiter is a gas giant planet, consisting mainly of hydrogen and helium with small amounts of other elements. Its atmosphere is characterized by colorful bands of clouds, the most prominent of which is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that has been raging for at least 400 years.
Jupiter has a strong magnetic field, the strongest in the solar system, which creates intense radiation belts around the planet. These radiation belts can be hazardous to spacecraft and pose a potential risk to future human missions to the planet.
Jupiter also has a complex system of moons, with at least 79 known moons orbiting the planet. The four largest moons, known as the Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto), were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610 and are among the most geologically active and interesting bodies in the solar system.
Jupiter plays an important role in the dynamics of the solar system, as its massive gravity affects the orbits of other planets and asteroids. Jupiter's gravity has also helped to protect the inner planets from potential impacts by asteroids and comets, by redirecting them away from the inner solar system.
Several spacecraft have been sent to explore Jupiter, including NASA's Voyager and Galileo missions, which provided detailed data on the planet's atmosphere, moons, and magnetic field. In 2016, NASA's Juno mission began studying Jupiter's interior structure and magnetic field in detail, with the goal of better understanding the planet's formation and evolution.
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