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The gas giants

The gas giants. Pg. 35. Jupiter. Largest planet (5 th from Sun) 11 times larger than Earth (makes up 70 % of planetary matter) Has a banded appearance due to atmosphere Has 4 major satellites and at least 12 minor ones Composed of light weight elements

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The gas giants

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  1. The gas giants Pg. 35

  2. Jupiter • Largest planet (5th from Sun) • 11 times larger than Earth (makes up 70 % of planetary matter) • Has a banded appearance due to atmosphere • Has 4 major satellites and at least 12 minor ones • Composed of light weight elements • Atmosphere- H and He in both gas and liquid form; has liquid metallic H; electric currents • Earth-sized core of heavier elements that have sunk.

  3. Jupiter Cont’d • Spins fast (1 rotation= 10 hrs) • Shape is distorted because of fast spin • Has “Great Red Spot” which is a atmospheric storm that has been rotating around Jupiter for more than 300 years • Alternating cloud types • Belts- low, warm, dark-colored clouds that sink • Zones- high, cool, light-colored clouds that rise

  4. Jupiter’s Moons and Rings • 4 largest moons called satellites: • Io • Europa • Ganymede • Callisto • Composed of ice and rock mixtures • Jupiter’s ring is 6400 km wide

  5. Saturn • Second largest planet • Atmosphere- rotates rapidly and has belts and zones; H and He and also ammonia ice • Most likely fluid throughout with small solid core

  6. Saturn’s moons • Rings are composed of rock and ice (microscopic to size of houses) • 7 major rings that are each made up of ringlets • 18 known satellites • Titan (giant) • 7 intermediate moons • 10 small moons

  7. Uranus • Discovered accidently • Has blue, velvety appearance • Atmosphere- methane gas (reflects blue light), H and He; few clouds • Completely fluid except small core • Axis is almost horizontal (Uranus was knocked sideways) • Each pole spends 42 years in darkness and 42 years in sunlight

  8. Uranus’ Moons and Rings • 18 known moons and rings • Recently 3 more possible moons have been discovered • Rings are very dark, almost black • Were discovered when a star was covered by them

  9. Neptune • Few details can be observed from Earth because of its distance away • Atmosphere- bluish color because of methane; has distinctive clouds • Had a persistent storm called the Great Dark Spot that disappeared in 1994

  10. Neptune’s Moons and Rings • Has eight moons (largest is Triton) • Triton orbits backwards • Has 6 rings that are comprised of dust particles

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