Saturn and Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is basically a giant gas ball. It doesn’t have a solid surface, and it’s made up of mostly helium and hydrogen. Jupiter is the 5th coldest planet in our solar system. It’s so cold, it gives off most of its energy in the infrared. The average temp. on the planet is -140 C. Jupiter is unique, as it has its own internal heat source. It is powered by the slow gravitational collapse that first began when the planet was formed. The collapse is so extreme, some scientists estimate that Jupiter is shrinking by almost 2cm every year.
Jupiters Great Red Spot
Jupiter has a very distinct red spot on its surface. It is actually a storm that has been raging on for more than 350 years. The storm is very big, as about 3 earths could fit inside of it. It is the largest anticyclonic storm in our solar system. Winds inside the storm can reach up to 270mph. The great red spot is colder and higher in altitude than the rest of the planet. Nobody is exactly sure why the spot is red in color. There is also no definitive theory about why the spot formed.
Collisions with Jupiter
Jupiter has a history of getting hit by various objects. Jupiter acts as a guardian for earth. It’s large and powerful gravitational pull attracts comets and other objects away from earth and other planets. One famous instances of Jupiter being hit was in 1994, when a large comet called Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit the planet. The impact was so severe, it had damage visible from earth. The massive dark scars were there for months. Infrared telescopes also picked up when Jupiter got hit by an object the size of the titanic in 2009. This left a scar the size of an ocean on the planet.
Jupiters atmosphere
Jupiter itself has a very unique atmosphere. It uses convection, which is when warm gases rise and then cool, sinking back into the depths of the planets. This process also causes the different colored bands we see on Jupiter. The lighter colored bands are the rising zones, and the darker colored zones are where gases are sinking. The colors are caused by different chemical compositions. Scientists think that the darker colored belts are made up of hydrocarbons that react to the suns ultraviolet rays.
Could we live on Jupiter?
I mean, theoretically, yes? If we were to obtain floating houses that could sit on top of Jupiters gas clouds, we possibly could. The days would only be a short 5 hours, and so would the nights. It would be a brisk -243 degrees night and day. Also, since the gravity is so strong, you would be sluggish and slow. Luckily, though, it rains diamonds on Jupiter! They might hurt coming down, but they’re worth a lot. Also, if you venture inwards, you’ll have to cross a 25,000 mile wide ocean of liquid metallic hydrogen. This is also about 43,000 degrees F, so bring a swimsuit. Living on Jupiter might not be our first option, but it would definitely be an interesting option.
Saturn
Saturn is one of the most beautiful planets to look at, because of the fascinating rings around it. Just like it’s buddy Jupiter, Saturn is a gas planet. It is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, and does not have a solid surface like earth does. Saturn also has its own internal heat source, like Jupiter. With that said, Saturn is still colder than Jupiter because it is farther away from the sun. With temps ranging from -360F-260F, it gets a little chilly over there.
Saturn’s Rings
Saturn’s iconic rings are made up mostly of tiny ice particles, with little traces of rocky material. Unfortunately, new research is showing that Saturn’s rings are disappearing. They have only been around for about 100 million years, and are only expected to live about 300 million years, which is short compared to how old Saturn is. The rings are disappearing because they are getting pulled into Saturn because of its strong gravitational field. We are lucky to be alive during the time that Saturn’s rings are so beautiful and prominent.
Saturn’s Atmosphere
Saturn is made up of 75% hydrogen and 25% helium, much like Jupiter. It has a few traces of other substances, like methane and ice. It also has similar bands to Jupiter, indicating the presence of violent winds. In fact, wind speeds have been clocked at almost 1118mph, making Saturn one of the windiest places in the solar system. Some smaller storms can occur on the planet, creating dark spots that telescopes can see. Just like it’s buddy Jupiter, it also has heavy liquid metallic nitrogen towards the surface of the planet. Some believe it might have a rocky surface below that.
Saturn’s Moons
Saturn has a whopping 62 confirmed moons orbiting it. The largest moon is named Titan, respectively. Some of the other moons are called Prometheus, Pandora, Enceladus, and Atlas. Although Enceladus is only Saturn’s 6th biggest moon, it is said to be one of the most compelling worlds we know of. It has a liquid water ocean beneath its frozen shell, but the moon actually sprays it’s water out into space at 800mph, so we can collect it for data. This water/ice also contributes to Saturn’s rings. This moon actually may have most of the chemical ingredients for life, but it is very cold at -330 F.
Could we live on Saturn?
Due to all the gas and no confirmed surface on Saturn, it is not a likely candidate for human life. But, this giant has so many moons that could be capable of life. For example, even though the moon Titan is very cold and has methane oceans, it would be a better option. You wouldn’t even need a pressure suit to survive there, only an oxygen mask and a really heavy coat. Titan is also pretty flat, and has a nice low gravity of 14%. Occasionally it does rain methane. Also, the days on Titan are a hefty 16 earth days long. So, theoretically, you could live on the moon Titan. You could try to live on Saturn, but we’re probably not going to have a lot of luck with that anytime soon.
