Class 18: Jovian Planets and Their Moons

Jovian Planets

The four gas giants in our solar system: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Great Red Spot

A giant storm on Jupiter, known for its reddish color and massive size.

Galilean Moons

The four largest moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Titan

Saturn's largest moon, notable for its thick atmosphere and liquid methane lakes.

Ice Giants

The term used to describe Uranus and Neptune, which have a composition mainly of water, ammonia, and methane.

Nebula

A giant cloud of gas and dust in space, often the birthplace of stars.

Ring System

A collection of dust and ice particles that encircle a planet; all four Jovian planets have rings.

Triton

Neptune's largest moon, known for its retrograde orbit and geological activity.

Tilted Rotation Axis

Uranus has an unusual tilt of 98 degrees, influencing its extreme seasons.

Hydrogen and Helium

The primary components of the atmosphere of all Jovian planets.

Ammonia Clouds

White clouds that form at high altitudes on Jupiter due to lower temperatures.

Saturn's Rings

Spectacular rings that span over 260,000 km in diameter but are less than 0.1 km thick.

Geologically Active

Characteristic of certain moons, like Io and Triton, indicating ongoing geological processes.

Core Composition

The interior layers of the Jovian planets, often comprising rock and ice, followed by thicker gaseous layers.

Wind Speeds

Jupiter can experience wind speeds of up to 500 km/h, contributing to its storm patterns.