How Did Jupiter Get its Name
Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System. But how did Jupiter get its name? This post will answer that question and then let you know a few interesting facts about Jupiter.
How Did Jupiter Get its Name?
The ancient Romans were the first to name Jupiter. They named it after the Roman god Jupiter. In Roman mythology, Jupiter (or Jove) was the god of sky and thunder. Jupiter was also considered the king of the gods.
Interesting Facts About Jupiter
- Jupiter is the third brightest object at night after the Moon and Venus.
- Jupiter has at least 63 moons.
- The atmosphere contains about 75% hydrogen and 24% helium (by mass).
- Galileo Galilei first discovered Jupiter’s four largest moons in 1610.
- There are traces of carbon, ethane, hydrogen, sulfide, neon, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur on Jupiter.
- Jupiter is classified as a gas giant. Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are also called gas giants.
- The spacecraft ‘New Horizons’ visited Jupiter in 2007. It used the gravity of Jupiter to increase speed.
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