Today we will talk about two planets of the Solar system: Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter is the largest of our planetary system. It resembles a star and is covered in streaks of swirling clouds.
It is made of gas (especially hydrogen and helium) and does not have a solid surface. However, it has a solid inner core about the size of Earth. It also has rings but they are too dim to see. Another curious fact is that it has 80 confirmed moons.
On the other hand, we have Saturn. This planet stands out for the 4 rings that surround it. These are made up of pieces of ice and rock. Like Jupiter, Saturn is also made of hydrogen and helium. It has 63 moons, and has another 20 unconfirmed.
YOU CAN SEE: Solar Planetary System II: Asteroids
Saturn’s Color Changes
Saturn’s color is predominantly pale yellow. However, it has not always been so. In recent years, certain parts of its surface, such as the north pole, have turned from blue to yellow due to increased photochemical haze (smog) that is produced in its atmosphere. This haze is the result of a mixture of smoke and fog with a high level of pollutants.
The data
Jupiter has been visited by various spacecraft, orbiters, and probes. Some of these are Pioneer 10 and 11, Voyager 1 and 2, Cassini, New Horizons, and Juno.