ASTR 1210: Intro the Sky & Solar System Lecture 32: The Jovian Planets

Flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary related to the Jovian planets as discussed in the lecture.

Jovian Planets

The group of gas giant planets in our solar system, including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Density

A measure of mass per unit volume, often expressed in g/cm³.

AU (Astronomical Unit)

A unit of measurement equal to the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers.

Magnetosphere

The region around a planet dominated by its magnetic field, protecting it from solar wind.

Auroras

Natural light displays in the sky, typically seen in polar regions, caused by the interaction of solar wind with a planet's magnetic field.

Hydrogen Compounds

Chemical compounds that contain hydrogen, often in gas forms such as water (H2O), methane (CH4), and ammonia (NH3).

Great Red Spot

A giant storm on Jupiter that has been raging for at least 350 years, characterized by its reddish color and high-pressure systems.

Brown Dwarf

A type of celestial object that is not massive enough to initiate hydrogen fusion in its core, often more massive than a planet but less than a star.

Oblateness

A measure of how much a planet is flattened at its poles and bulging at its equator, often due to rapid rotation.

Phase Changes

Transitions between different states of matter that occur due to changes in temperature or pressure, such as gas to liquid.

Cloud Layers

Different strata of clouds found in the atmospheres of planets, each corresponding to different altitudes and temperatures.

Rings

Disk-like structures made of ice, rock, and dust that surround some planets, most notably Saturn.

Internal Heating

The process by which planets generate thermal energy from their internal composition and activities, often resulting in more heat being emitted than received from the Sun.

Differential Rotation

The phenomenon where different parts of a planet rotate at different speeds, as is the case with the Jovian planets.