The gas giants of the solar system, like any other, are mostly composed of gases. The physical and chemical characteristics of these planets are so different from our entire environment that they cannot but arouse the interest of even those who are very far from astronomy.
Gas giants
It is known that the objects of our star system are conditionally divided into two groups: terrestrial and gas. The second includes planets that do not have a solid shell. Our star has four such objects:
- Jupiter.
- Saturn.
- Uranium.
- Neptune.
The gas giants of the solar system are distinguished by the uncertainty of the boundaries between the core, shell and atmosphere of the planet. In fact, even scientists have no confidence in the presence of the nucleus.
According to the most probable system of origin of our world, the gas giants of the solar system appeared much later than the terrestrial planets. The pressure in the giants' atmosphere increases as it deepens. Experts believe that closer tothe center of the planet, it is so large that hydrogen becomes liquid.
Gas bodies rotate around their axis faster than solid ones. It is curious that the planets (gas giants) of the solar system emit more heat than they receive from the Sun. This phenomenon can be partly explained by gravitational energy, but the origin of the rest is not entirely clear to scientists.
Jupiter
The largest planet in the solar system is the gas giant Jupiter. It is so large that you can even see it with the naked eye - in the night sky it is the third brightest object, only the Moon and Venus are more visible. Even with a small telescope, you can see the disk of Jupiter with four points - satellites.
The planet boasts not only the largest size, but also the strongest magnetic field - it is 14 times larger than the earth's. There is an opinion that it was created by the movement of metallic hydrogen in the bowels of the giant. The radio emission of the planet is so powerful that it damages any devices that come close. Despite the gigantic size of Jupiter, it rotates faster than all its counterparts in the star system - a complete revolution takes only 10 hours. But its orbit is so large that a flight around the Sun takes 12 Earth years.
Jupiter is the closest gas giant to us, so it is the most studied among the planets of its group. It was to this body that most spacecraft were directed. Currently, the Juno probe is in orbit, collecting information about the planet and its satellites. The ship was launched in 2011year, in July 2016, he reached the orbit of the planet. In August of the same year, he flew as close as possible - he went around Jupiter only 4200 km from its surface. In February 2018, it is planned to sink the apparatus in the giant's atmosphere. The whole world is waiting for pictures of this process.
Saturn
The second largest gas giant in the solar system is Saturn. This planet is considered the most mysterious, thanks to its rings, the origin of which is disputed by scientists around the world. Today it is known that they consist of pieces of rock, ice and dust of various sizes. There are particles with a speck of dust, but there are also objects up to a kilometer in diameter. It is curious that the width of the rings could be enough to cross them from the Earth to the Moon, while their width is only about a kilometer.
The reflected light from this object exceeds the amount reflected by the planet. Even a not very powerful telescope is enough to see the rings of Saturn.
Scientists have found that the density of the planet is half that of water: if it were possible to submerge Saturn in water, it would remain afloat.
There are very strong winds on the giant - vortices with an average speed of 1800 km / h are recorded at the equator. To roughly imagine their strength, you should compare them with the most powerful tornado, whose speed reaches 512 km / h. Saturn's day flies by quickly - in just 10 hours, 14 minutes, while the year stretches 29 Earth years.
Uranus
This planet is called an ice giant, because under an atmosphere of hydrogen, helium andmethane are located not only rocks, but also high-temperature modifications of ice. Scientists have discovered clouds of hydrogen, ammonia and ice floating in the atmosphere of Uranus.
The planet boasts the coldest atmosphere in our star system - minus 224 degrees. Scientists suggest the presence of water on the giant, which, in turn, makes life possible.
An interesting feature of Uranus is that its equator is located across the orbit: the planet seemed to lie on its side. This situation makes the change of seasons quite unique. The poles of the planet do not see sunlight for 42 of our years. It is easy to calculate that Uranus makes a complete revolution around the Sun in 84 years. Rotation around its axis takes 17 hours and 14 minutes, but strong winds up to 250 m/s (900 km/h) accelerate some parts of the atmosphere, causing them to run over the planet in 14 hours.
Previously it was believed that the tilt of the planet changed after a collision with a large object, but today scientists are inclined to the version of the influence of neighbors in the system. It is assumed that the gravitational fields of Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune knocked down the axis of Uranus.
Neptune
This planet is the farthest from the Sun, so most of the information about it is based on calculations and remote observations.
A year on Neptune is almost 165 Earth years. The atmosphere is so unstable that the planet's equator rotates around its axis in 18 hours, the poles - in 12, the magnetic field - in 16, 1.
Giant's gravity has a significant impact on objects located in the beltKuiper. There is evidence that the planet has disabled several areas of the belt, resulting in gaps in its structure. The temperature of the center of Neptune reaches 7000 degrees - the same as that of most known planets or on the surface of the Sun.
The gas giants of the solar system have similar characteristics, but they are completely different objects, each of which deserves to be known as much as possible about them.
