What is the largest planet in the universe. The largest planet in the universe

Nothing can be true, but it's not true. There are much larger and more massive planets. For the entire Universe, our Earth is just a grain of sand lost in it. The solar system is only one of the elements of the Galaxy. The Sun is the main component of the Galaxy. Eight planets revolve around the Sun. And only the ninth - Pluto - was removed from the list of rotating planets because of its mass. Each planet has its own parameters, density, temperature. There are those that consist of gas, there are giant ones, small ones, cold ones, hot ones, and dwarf ones.

So what is the largest planet known on this moment? In the spring of 2006, an event occurred that shook the theory of celestial bodies. At the Lovell Observatory (USA, Arizona) in the constellation Hercules, a huge planet was discovered, twenty times the size of our Earth. Of the existing ones discovered today, this is the largest planet in the Universe. It is hot and similar to the Sun, but it is still a planet. It was called TrES-4. Its dimensions exceed the dimensions of the largest planet in the solar system - Jupiter - by 1.7 times. It is a giant gaseous ball. TrES-4 consists mainly of hydrogen. The largest planet orbits a star located at a distance of 1400 Temperature on its surface is more than 1260 degrees.

There are enough exact amount giant planets, but so far no larger than TrES-4b has been discovered. The largest planet is more than 70% larger than Jupiter. The huge gas giant could be called a star, but its rotation around its star GSC02620-00648 definitely classifies it as planetary. As the responsible employee of the observatory G. Mandushev reported, the planet is more gaseous than solid, and you can only dive into it. Its density ranges from 0.2 g per cubic centimeter, which is comparable only to balsa (cork) wood. Astronomers are at a loss as to how this largest planet with such a low density has the ability to exist. Planet TrES-4 is also called TrES-4b. It owes its discovery to amateur astronomers who discovered TrES-4 thanks to a network of small automated telescopes located on Canary Islands and in

If you observe this planet from the ground, you can clearly see that it is moving along the disk of its star. The exoplanet orbits the star in just 3.55 days. Planet TrES-4 is heavier than the Sun and has a higher temperature.

The discoverers were Lowell employees, and later astronomers from the W.M. Hawaiian Observatory. Keck confirmed this discovery. Scientists at the Lovell Observatory have an assumption that the largest planet TrES-4 is not the only one in this constellation, and that it is quite possible that there may be another planet in the Hercules constellation. Lowell employees discovered Pluto in the solar system in 1930. However, in 2006, Pluto, in comparison with the giant TrES-4, began to be called a dwarf planet.

Stars, comets, asteroids and meteorites have fascinated people since the beginning of time. Priests prayed to celestial idols, astrologers predicted fate based on the trajectory of planets, astronomers studied constellations.

The ancient Romans and Greeks showed special respect to Jupiter. IN Ancient Rome he personified supreme god, and among the Greeks he was considered the king of Olympus. A worthy place, considering that Jupiter is the largest planet solar system.

Gas giant

At the center of our star system is brightest star– The Sun, around which Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury, Mars, Earth, Venus and Jupiter revolve. All planets are very interesting, and each has its own distinctive characteristics. The largest of them is Jupiter.

It has a number unusual features:

• consists entirely of gas. Almost 90% is hydrogen, about 10% is helium, the remaining insignificant part is methane, sulfur, ammonia and water vapor;
• in the lower layers of the atmosphere, colossal pressure is recorded, due to which the gas turns into a liquid state, and the core of Jupiter is metallic hydrogen;
• it weighs 2.5 times more than all the other planets of the solar system combined, 318 times heavier than the Earth;
• its diameter is 1.39 thousand km! This means that Jupiter could easily fit 1,300 planets like ours motherland. It’s hard to even imagine such a huge scale;
• force magnetic field This celestial body exceeds the strength of the earth's by 20 thousand times and is the largest in the solar system. This causes so far insurmountable difficulties for a thorough study of the planet, since no one aircraft can't get close enough;
• Its rotation speed is the highest of all the studied planets in the galaxy. The length of a day on Jupiter is less than 10 Earth hours. This, combined with its incredible size and gaseous state, leads to the flattening of the celestial body;
• temperature in bottom layer troposphere – minus 150°С, and in the upper layers of the atmosphere – plus 730°С;
• the gas giant is known for its endless storms terrible power. The whirlwinds rush at a breakneck speed of 640 km/h! But the most amazing hurricane has been observed by astronomers since the end of the 17th century. It was called the Great Red Spot, has not been interrupted for more than 300 years, and is 3 times larger in size than the Earth’s diameter;
• Jupiter is many millions of kilometers away from Earth, but due to its impressive size, it is visible to the naked eye. With a medium-power telescope, you can see the surface of the giant, the Great Red Spot, rings and satellites.

Jupiter is not only the largest planet in the solar system, but also one of the largest planets in the universe known to scientists today.

The most...

Jupiter is exclusive in its own way. It is the largest planet in the solar system and has the strongest magnetic field. Jupiter is the fastest rotating planet, with the sharpest temperature difference - almost 900°C.

Not only in the Galaxy, but throughout the entire infinite space, it is difficult to find such a celestial body.

Moons and rings of Jupiter

A total of 67 satellites of Jupiter have been discovered. The first 4 - Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede - were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. They are named Galilean in his honor. They are also the largest.

Ganymede is larger than all known satellites, even larger than planets such as Mercury and Pluto. Io is the only satellite in the Universe that has its own magnetic field, and it is also the most volcanically active celestial body known. The entire surface of the Europa satellite is covered with ice. Callisto is incredibly low reflective, leading scientists to believe it is a huge piece of colorless rock.

Also in 1979, the Voyager research probe discovered 3 faint rings around Jupiter.

Jupiter, together with its satellites, is very reminiscent of the Solar System in miniature. Therefore, most scientists in the world agree that after millions of years, Jupiter will be able to regenerate into a Star and become the center of another system in the Universe. Satellites around the planet can turn into celestial bodies with suitable conditions for life.

Other giants of the solar system

In addition to Jupiter, our system has 3 more major planets:

• Saturn. Its diameter is slightly inferior to Jupiter and is 116 thousand km. It is 95 times heavier than the Earth, is in a gaseous state, the speed of storms on its surface is 1800 km/h. Has 62 satellites.
• Uranus has a diameter of 50.7 thousand km, it is relatively "light" - only 14 times heavier than the Earth, gaseous, winds rush along its surface at a frantic speed - 900 km / h, a year on Uranus is equal to 84 Earth years, has 27 satellites.
• Neptune is another large planet with a diameter of 49.2 thousand km. It also consists of gases, 17 times heavier than the Earth. The wind speed here reaches 2100 km/h and is the most significant in the Universe. Has 14 satellites.

All the largest planets in the solar system, in addition to their enormous sizes, have such common features:

• gaseous state (the main components are hydrogen and helium);
• low density;
• Very high speed rotation, which leads to some oblateness of the planets from the poles;
• powerful gravitational field;
• a large number of satellites.

Queen of the Universe

Many are interested in which planet is the largest in all the vast space. In 2006, scientists at the Lovell Observatory in Arizona, USA, received an answer to this question. They discovered a giant planet in the Hercules system. There are not enough epithets in modern Russian to describe its size. It's impossible to imagine. She is a huge giantess; compared to her, even Jupiter seems like a baby. They named it succinctly and completely unromantically - TrES-4.

Although the diameter is again open planet several times larger than the giant Jupiter, but in weight it is inferior to it, which is explained by the very low density of the gaseous substance from which the giantess is “built”. You cannot descend to the planet, you can only literally dive into it. Scientists around the world are at a loss as to how TrES-4 can exist at such a density without being dispersed in interstellar space.

Giant gas ball heated up to 1300°C and very similar to the Sun. For some time it was even considered a star, but then it was proven that TrES-4 is a planet. It orbits its star, named GSC02620-00648, 1,400 light-years away.

The above facts indicate that the endless expanses of space keep their secrets in silence. Exploring airless space, scientists encounter inexplicable and mysterious phenomena, most questions still remain unanswered.

In narrow circles, Jupiter is called a gas giant. A large amount of metallic hydrogen was found inside it. The depth of such an “ocean” is 55,000 kilometers. This substance is formed as a result of ionization of liquid hydrogen at high pressure. Ionization then gives hydrogen the properties of a metal.

A huge collision in the solar system
In the summer (July) of 1994, particles from comet Shoemaker-Levy hit Juriter. The largest part fell on Jupiter on July 18. At that moment, there was a strong explosion, in which energy equal to 6 billion megatons (measured in fuel equivalent) was released.

In 2010 (June), the largest planet collided with a huge asteroid in the solar system. A scientist named Anthony Wesley watched this event and captured the moment when Jupiter collided with an asteroid, the size of which was 8-13 meters.

Features of Jupiter
-- The mass of the planet is 3 times greater than the weight of all the other planets in the solar system. According to experts who have been studying the giant for decades, most of it consists of gases and liquids that surround its solid core.
- Jupiter has atmospheric belts. They consist of ice crystals of ammonium, as well as methane. Such molecules are located at an altitude of 1280 kilometers from the planet, and form atmospheric belts.
- The atmosphere of the giant planet, according to certain properties, is similar to that of the Sun. It is composed of 86.1 percent hydrogen and 13.8 percent helium. The remaining elements of the periodic table have a place to be, but in a minimal amount.
-- The planet has very high temperature and pressure. Such phenomena compress gaseous hydrogen, obtaining a dense substance, which passes into a liquid state.
After an increase in pressure occurs on Jupiter, hydrogen is converted to methane. Due to the fact that the “record holder” moves fast enough, powerful electric currents are formed in this layer. These electric currents generate a large magnetic field, which has a power several times higher than that of the Earth.
- The solid core of Jupiter is 2 times larger than the size of the Earth.

The solar system is one of the most complex and incredibly interesting structures to study, both by specialists in this field and simply by lovers of the space theme. It is only a small part of the entire galaxy. Not only the history of the appearance of space objects is striking, but also their dimensions. What is the name of the largest planet in the solar system - not the Sun, it exceeds the size of the Earth by 300 times, and its diameter is 11 times larger than the earth's.

What is a planet

Before talking about which planet is the largest, it is worth understanding the concept of this object. A planet is a massive celestial body orbiting around a star. The heart of the solar system is the Sun, which was formed about 4.57 billion years ago by gravitational compression clouds of gas and dust. This bright star is the main source of light and heat, both on Earth and other planets.

How many planets are there in the solar system

The system is divided into internal and external groups. The closest to the Sun are the inner planets and small, compared to the stars, asteroids. The closest location is Mercury. It is the fastest moving celestial body in the system. Mars is famous for its red surface. The temperature of Venus reaches 400 degrees, making it one of the hottest. And the planet with the confirmed presence of life is Earth, which has natural companion- Moon.

Major planets of the solar system

The outer zone consists of larger planets. Among its heavy giants are Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Jupiter. They are located at a greater distance from the Sun than the inner group, due to which they have a colder climate and are characterized by icy winds. Astronomers classify the planets Uranus and Neptune into the “Ice Giants” category. All stars in the outer region have their own ring system.

Saturn

Saturn has the most extensive system of rings and belts. Their main components are particles of ice, heavy elements and dust. The planet itself consists of hydrogen with helium, water, methane, ammonia and other elements. Wind speeds on Saturn reach 1,800 kilometers per hour, which can cause whirlwinds. Studying the planet research station, whose task is to analyze the structure of the rings. Saturn has 62 moons, the most famous of which is Titan.

Uranus

The coldest giant is Uranus. His low temperature associated with a distant location from the Sun. The surface of Uranus is mainly covered with ice and rocks, and the structure of the atmosphere includes hydrogen and helium. Clouds of solid ammonia, hydrogen and ice were also detected. This planet is distinguished by its axis of rotation, with a characteristic position “on its side”. It turns to the Sun either by the north or south pole, by the equator and by the middle latitudes. This object shows signs of seasonal changes in the form of increased weather activity. Uranus has 27 satellites.

Neptune

Large size Neptune possesses and is the fourth largest planet in diameter. In its atmosphere the most raging strong winds, which can reach 2100 kilometers per hour, and the temperature is close to 220 degrees with a minus sign. In addition, traces of methane are observed in its atmosphere, giving it a blue tint. In 1989, the Voyager 2 expedition discovered a large dark spot in the southern hemisphere of the planet. Neptune has 13 satellites, including Triton. It was opened in the 20th century. The remaining celestial bodies were discovered later.

Jupiter

When asked which planet has the most large mass, we can safely say – Jupiter. The largest planet in the solar system has upper layer, consisting of hydrogen, methane, ammonia and water. A number of phenomena have been recorded in Jupiter's atmosphere, including storms, lightning and auroras. The vortices on the planet rush at incredible speeds - up to 640 kilometers per hour. As a result of a major storm, a large red spot formed on the surface of Jupiter, which became one of the main features of the giant. And due to the huge size of the planet, its parts rotate with at different speeds.

What is the largest planet

Since 1970, 8 spacecraft have been studying the largest and heaviest planet, Jupiter: the National Aeronautics and Research Administration outer space", "Voyagers", "Pioneers", "Galileo" and others. This giant has a heavy mass that is 300 times greater than that of the Earth. The largest planet in the solar system has the largest number of satellites - 69. Among them are the large Galileans - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. They were discovered by the famous Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610.

Statistical data

Below are the main characteristics of the largest planet in the solar system:

• weight: 1.8981 x 1027 kilograms;
• volume - 1.43128 × 1015 cubic kilometers;
• surface area - 6.1419 x 1010 square kilometers;
• average circumference - 4.39264 x 105 kilometers;
• density 1.326 grams per cubic centimeter;
• conventional orbital speed – 13.07 kilometers per second;
• inclination relative to the ecliptic plane – 1.03 degrees;
• apparent magnitude – 2.94 meters;
• surface pressure - 1 bar.

> The largest planet in the solar system

The largest planet in solar system- Jupiter. Read the description, interesting facts and Scientific research for the most massive planet around the Sun with photo.

The largest planet in the solar system is of course Jupiter. It is not only the largest, but also the most massive planet revolving around the Sun.

Jupiter fascinated observers 400 years ago, when it was possible to see it in the first telescopes. This is a beautiful gas giant with swirling clouds, a mysterious spot, a family of satellites and many features.

What's most impressive is the scale. In terms of mass, volume and area, the planet is the largest planet in the solar system. The ancients knew about its existence, so Jupiter was noted in many cultures. Below is a comparison of the sizes of Jupiter, Earth and Moon.

Size, mass and volume of the largest planet in the solar system

Mass – 1.8981 x 10 27 kg, volume – 1.43128 x 10 15 km 3, surface area – 6.1419 x 10 10 km 2, and the average circumference reaches 4.39264 x 10 5 km. So that you understand, the diameter of the planet is 11 times larger than Earth and 2.5 times more massive than all solar planets.

Jupiter is a gas giant, so its density is 1.326 g/cm 3 (less than ¼ of Earth's). The low density is a clue to researchers that the object is composed of gases, but debate still continues about the composition of the core itself big planet.

Composition of the largest planet in the solar system

It is the largest of the gas giants, divided into an outer atmospheric layer and an inner space. The atmosphere is filled with hydrogen (88-92%) and helium (8-12%). Chemical composition Jupiter's atmosphere is shown in the figure.

Traces of methane, water vapor, silicon, ammonia and benzene are also noticeable. Hydrogen sulfide, carbon, neon, ethane, oxygen, sulfur and phosphine can be found in small quantities.

The interior of Jupiter contains dense materials, so it consists of hydrogen (71%), helium (24%) and other elements (5%). The core is a dense mixture of metallic hydrogen in a liquid state with helium and an outer layer of molecular hydrogen. It is believed that the core may be rocky, but there is no exact data.

The question of the presence of a core was raised in 1997, when gravity was figured out. Information hinted that it could reach 12-45 Earth masses and cover 4-14% of Jupiter's mass. The presence of a core is also supported by planetary models, which say planets required a rocky or icy core. But convection currents, as well as hot liquid hydrogen, could reduce the parameters of the core.

The closer to the core, the higher the temperature and pressure. It is believed that at the surface we will note 67°C and 10 bar, in the phase transition - 9700°C and 200 GPa, and near the core - 35700°C and 3000-4500 GPa.

Moons of the largest planet in the solar system

We now know that there is a family of 67 moons near the planet Jupiter. Four of them are the largest and are called Galilean because they were discovered by Galileo Galilei: Io (continuous active volcanoes), Europa (massive subsurface ocean), Ganymede ( largest satellite in the system) and Callisto (subterranean ocean and old surface materials).

There is also the Amalthea group, where there are 4 satellites with a diameter of less than 200 km. They are 200,000 km distant and have an orbital inclination of 0.5 degrees. These are Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea and Thebe.

There also remain a whole bunch of irregular moons that are smaller in size and have more eccentric orbital routes. They are divided into families that converge in size, composition and orbit.

Interesting facts about the largest planet in the solar system

Let's find out more interesting facts about Jupiter. Near the northern and south poles The largest planet in the solar system experiences auroras. But here they are much more intense and practically do not stop. This is influenced by a powerful magnetic field and incoming material from Io's volcanoes.

Eat dense atmosphere, where the wind accelerates to 620 km/h. In just a few hours, powerful storms form. The most popular is the Great Red Spot, observed since the 1600s.

With the discovery of exoplanets, we realized that planets are capable of larger sizes than our gas giant. Kepler has already found more than 300 super-Jupiters. Among the examples, it is worth recalling PSR B1620-26 b, considered the oldest planet (12.7 billion years). In addition, there is HD 80606 b with the most eccentric orbit.

The interesting thing is that in theory there are planets that are 15 times larger than Jupiter. When deuterium is fused, they become brown dwarfs. Jupiter received the name from the Romans in honor of the supreme deity.