Gas Giants
What are 2 Gas Giants within our solar system?:
Saturn and Jupiter
What is another name for Jupiter?
"The failed star"
What is another name for Saturn?
"Ring King"
How are gas giants and ice giants different?
Gas giants are made from lighter materials like hydrogen and helium while Ice Giants are made from heavier material like Oxygen, Nitrogen, and sulfur
Which spot are the planets Saturn and Jupiter from the sun?:
Jupiter: 5
Saturn: 6
What is a gas giant?:
A gas giant is a large planet that is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium
When and how was Jupiter formed?:
Jupiter was formed 4.9 billion years ago from the Sun's leftover gasses from the Sun's formation, primarily molecular hydrogen and helium
When and how was Saturn discovered?:
Saturn was first discovered by Galileo via telescope in 1610.
Which 2 planets got re-categorized?:
Neptune and Uranus
What was Jupiter named after?:
Named after the Roman god Jupiter, or Zeus in Greece.
Who created the term "gas giants?":
Science Fiction Writer, James Blish. (Will also accept just James Blish)
When and how was Jupiter discovered?:
Jupiter was discovered by Galileo in 1610 with a homemade telescope
How many rings does Saturn have and what are they made of?:
The planet saturn has a total of 4 rings made out of ice, rock, and dust.
Who created the term "ice giants?"
Science fiction writer, James Blish.
(Will also accept James Blish)
What was Saturn named after?:
Named after the roman god Jupiter, or Kronos in Greek mythology. The father of Zeus and the other gods
Where does the term "Gas Giants" come from?:
The term Gas Giants came as a symbolism for the larger planets within our solar system
What is Jupiter's Radius and Mass?:
Jupiter's radius is 71,492 km, and its mass is 1.89 x 10^27 kg
What is Saturn's atmosphere made of?:
Atmosphere estimated to be around 18% to 25% Helium with the remainder being Hydrogen and 2% other molecules
When did the scientists discover the 2 differently composed planets?:
In the 90's
What does Jupiter upper AND lower atmosphere contain?:
Jupiter’s upper atmosphere: 90%, 10% helium by volume, 76% H, 24% H- Jupiter’s lower atmosphere: -71% H, 24% He, and 5% other
What are the 5 different groups of Gas Giants?: (Doesn't have to be in order)
Ammonia Clouds, Water Clouds, Cloudless, Akali- metal Clouds, Silicate Clouds
What is Jupiter's core AND atmosphere made of?:
Core: Rock, ice, helium, neon, and other elements.
Atmosphere: Primarily composed of molecular hydrogen and helium
When and which astronomer discovered Saturn's moons and ring gap?:
(Bonus points if you can name the rings and gap)
In 1675, Italian-French astronomer Jean-Dominique Cassini discovered 4 more major moons of Saturn, Iapetus, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione. Also discovered a gap between Saturn’s rings that divided it into 2 sections, labeled as the “Cassini Division.”
Why are ice giants called ice giants?:
Scientists thought the water, ammonia, and methane were ice when the planets were formed.
What is Jupiter's atmosphere covered in and what are they called?:
Jupiter’s atmosphere is covered with clouds of ammonia crystals which contain ammonia and hydrosulfide. Jupiter’s upper atmosphere contains bright flashes that last around 1.4 milliseconds- these are known as “elves” or “sprites” and these appear blue or pink due to hydrogen.