Since the twentieth century, space has been actively explored by people. Although the ancients also knew enough about luminaries, planets, comets. Heavenly objects have always attracted the close attention of man.
About 4.5 billion years ago, the system formed in which the planet Earth - the Solar. The main object of the system is the sun star. About 99% of the total mass of the system falls on this particular star. And only 1% falls on the remaining planets and objects. At the same time, 99% of its remaining mass is giant planets.
The giants of the system include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Jupiter is the largest of the planets. Its mass is approximately 318 times the mass of the Earth. And if you put together all the other planets, then its mass exceeds the mass of these planets by 2.5 times. It is characterized by two main components: hydrogen and helium. Jupiter is famous for a large number of satellites. He has 65 of them. Moreover, the largest, Ganymede, is much larger than the planet Mercury. Also, the moons of Jupiter are similar in some respects to the planets of the earth group.
Saturn is well recognized by the ring system. Takes second place in the group of "giant planets." 95 times heavier than Earth. The composition of the planet resembles Jupiter, but has a very low density, which is similar to the density of water. Saturn has 62 satellites. Titanium is the only satellite in the solar system that has a significant atmosphere.
The third largest planet is Uranus, of the outer planets it is the lightest. Its mass is 14 times greater than the earth. It is noteworthy that Uranus revolves “on its side” around the Sun. It is as if rolling in its orbit. It radiates a huge amount of heat into space, despite the fact that it has a colder core than other gas giants. It has 27 satellites.
The next largest, but not mass, planet is Neptune. The mass of Neptune is equal to 17 masses of the Earth. It is denser, but does not radiate as much heat into space as, for example, Saturn or Jupiter. Neptune has 13 satellites (which are known to science). The largest is Triton. It contains geysers of liquid nitrogen. Triton moves in the opposite direction and is accompanied by asteroids.
Giant planets have their own characteristics. The time of their rotation around its axis does not exceed eighteen hours. And they rotate unevenly - in layers. The fastest rotation of the equator belt. This circumstance is caused by the fact that these planets are not solid, and at the poles they are much denser compressed. The basis of Jupiter and Saturn - helium and hydrogen, Uranus and Neptune contain ammonia, water and methane.
Giant planets: interesting facts
1. Gas giants - planets without a surface. The gases of their atmospheres are condensed to the center, turning into a liquid.
2. At the center of the giants there is a dense core in which, according to scientists, contains hydrogen with metallic properties. This hydrogen conducts an electric current, due to which the planets have a magnetic field.
3. Almost all natural satellites of the solar system belong to the planets of this group.
4. All planets of this group have rings. But only Saturn has pronounced rings, for the rest they are insignificant and barely distinguishable.
