Jupiter articles
What are the main characteristics of Jupiter?
Jupiter stands unrivaled in our solar neighborhood, a behemoth whose very presence shapes the orbits and evolution of th...
Why do you think that the Galilean moons were the first objects to be discovered?
The realization that Jupiter possessed its own orbiting retinue of satellites fundamentally changed humanity's view of t...
How do astronomers think the four Galilean moons of Jupiter formed?
The celestial dance of Jupiter’s four largest satellites—Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto—has captivated observers sin...
How did Galileo's discovery of the Galilean moons of Jupiter impact our understanding of the universe?
The initial flicker of light Galileo Galilei noticed in January of 1610, when pointing his newly improved telescope towa...
Could we terraform Callisto?
Callisto, the outermost of Jupiter’s four large Galilean moons, presents a fascinating, if immensely challenging, case s...
Could we colonize Callisto?
The promise of permanent human presence beyond Mars often leads the conversation toward the Red Planet, but just past th...
Why does Io display more geological activity than Jupiter's other moons?
The innermost of Jupiter’s four massive Galilean moons, Io, is in a state of perpetual, violent turmoil, unlike its more...
What is the most geologically active of Jupiter's moons?
Jupiter's collection of natural satellites is fascinating, featuring a diverse group of worlds ranging from icy shells t...
How are the Galilean moons formed?
The four largest satellites of Jupiter, first observed telescopically by Galileo Galilei in 1610, represent a miniature ...
How to tell if it's Jupiter or Venus?
Spotting a brilliant, unwavering light in the twilight sky and wondering if you're looking at Earth's closest neighbor o...
What materials are found on Jupiter?
Jupiter, the Solar System’s behemoth, does not present a familiar, solid surface like Earth or Mars; rather, what we obs...
What resources are found in Jupiter's moons?
The moons orbiting Jupiter are not just frozen, distant satellites; they represent vast reservoirs of materials critical...
Will humans ever explore Jupiter?
The sheer scale of Jupiter, a world dwarfing everything else in our solar system except the Sun, naturally sparks the im...
What is the best explanation for the close-in orbits of hot Jupiters?
The discovery of exoplanets radically reshaped our understanding of planetary systems, but few findings were as surprisi...
Where is hot Jupiter located?
The concept of a planet like Jupiter, a massive gas giant, orbiting incredibly close to its parent star is one of the mo...
What is the best explanation for the location of hot Jupiters?
The discovery of exoplanets has fundamentally reshaped our view of planetary systems, presenting astronomers with many u...