The Planet Jupiter

The Planet Jupiter is the LARGEST PLANET in our Solar System. Jupiter has at least 63 moons and they include: Europa, Io, Callisto and Ganymede.

Jupiter was explored in flybys in the 1970s by NASA's Pioneer 10 and 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft, and is currently being studied by the Galileo spacecraft.

Facts about Planet Jupiter

* Diameter: 85,788 miles the largest planet - more than 12 Earths could line up across it

* Temperature: Range -163° C to >-121° C

* Distance from Sun: Approximately 466 million miles

* Atmosphere: Mostly hydrogen and helium

* Surface: A giant ball of mostly hydrogen and helium

* Rotation of its axis: 9 hours, 55 minutes in Earth time (the length of one rotation)

* Rotation around the Sun: 12 Earth years

* Magnetic Field: Yes

* Number of Moons: 63 moons have been identified Ganymede is the largest moon - it is bigger than both Mercury and Pluto