Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, far bigger than Earth. Its diameter is about 11 times larger, and its volume is so vast that it could fit over 1,300 Earths inside.
Quick comparison:
Jupiter’s diameter: ~139,820 km
Earth’s diameter: ~12,742 km
Jupiter’s volume: 1321 times Earth’s
Even Saturn, another gas giant, is much smaller in mass than Jupiter. In fact, Jupiter has more than twice the mass of all other planets combined.
Jupiter formed from leftover gas and dust in the early solar system. Being farther from the Sun, it gathered more gas, especially hydrogen and helium, which make up most of its mass.
Unlike Earth, Jupiter has no solid surface. Its strong gravity keeps its thick atmosphere and more than 90 known moons, making it a true giant in our solar system.
Jupiter is enormous in every way—diameter, volume, and mass.
Diameter: About 139,820 km (Earth’s is only 12,742 km)
Volume: Jupiter can hold 1,321 Earths inside
Mass: Jupiter is 318 times heavier than Earth
Despite being so massive, Jupiter is mostly made of gas, so it’s much less dense than Earth. If it were a solid planet, its size would be different.
Earth may seem small next to Jupiter, but it is the largest rocky planet in the solar system. Unlike Jupiter, which is a gas giant, Earth has a solid surface and a much thinner atmosphere.
Gravity: Jupiter’s gravity is 2.5 times stronger than Earth’s
Moons: Jupiter has over 90 moons, while Earth has just one
Even though Earth is tiny compared to Jupiter, it is the only known planet that supports life—a stark contrast to the gas giant’s extreme environment.
Jupiter’s volume is about 1,321 times that of Earth. This means that, in theory, you could fit 1,321 Earth-sized planets inside Jupiter. However, this calculation assumes perfect packing with no empty space.
In reality, if you account for irregularities in shape and arrangement, the number would be slightly lower. Still, Jupiter is vast enough to hold over 1,000 Earths comfortably.
To put it into perspective:
Imagine Earth as a small marble.
Jupiter, in comparison, would be the size of a giant beach ball.
If you lined up 11 Earths side by side, they would stretch across Jupiter’s diameter.
This incredible size difference is why Jupiter plays such a dominant role in the solar system, affecting nearby planets and even acting as a gravitational shield for Earth.
The biggest difference between Jupiter and Earth is their composition:
Jupiter is a gas giant, made mostly of hydrogen and helium, with no solid surface.
Earth is a rocky planet, with land, water, and a thin atmosphere.
If you tried to land on Jupiter, you would sink into its thick clouds before reaching a dense, hot core.
Jupiter’s massive size gives it a much stronger gravitational pull—2.5 times that of Earth. This means:
A person weighing 70 kg on Earth would feel like 175 kg on Jupiter (if they could stand on it).
Jupiter’s gravity helps it hold onto more than 90 moons, compared to Earth’s one moon.
This extreme gravity and gaseous nature make Jupiter a completely different world compared to our solid, life-sustaining Earth.
Even though Jupiter is massive, it’s still much smaller than the Sun:
The Sun’s diameter is 10 times that of Jupiter.
You would need about 1,000 Jupiters to fill the Sun’s volume.
Still, Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system and has a strong influence on other planets due to its gravity.
Jupiter is often called a “failed star” because it’s made of hydrogen and helium, just like the Sun. However, it doesn’t have enough mass to start nuclear fusion, the process that makes stars shine.
For Jupiter to become a star, it would need to be at least 75 times its current mass. Since that’s impossible, it will always remain a gas giant.
If Earth were placed inside Jupiter, several things would happen:
Extreme pressure: Earth would be crushed by Jupiter’s intense gravity and atmospheric pressure.
No solid ground: Since Jupiter has no surface, Earth would sink into its thick, swirling clouds.
High temperatures: Deeper inside, temperatures can reach tens of thousands of degrees, making survival impossible.
Life as we know it wouldn’t stand a chance inside Jupiter.
The lack of oxygen and extreme radiation levels would be deadly.
Even robotic probes struggle to survive—NASA’s Galileo probe was destroyed within an hour of entering Jupiter’s atmosphere.
If Earth somehow orbited within Jupiter’s moons instead, it would still face problems like extreme cold and radiation from Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field.
Jupiter’s massive scale is a testament to the incredible diversity of planets in our solar system. The fact that more than 1,300 Earths could fit inside highlights just how small our world is in comparison. Despite its differences, Jupiter plays a key role in shaping the solar system, influencing planetary orbits, and shielding Earth from potential cosmic threats. Its sheer size, powerful gravity, and mysterious atmosphere continue to captivate scientists, proving that there’s always more to explore beyond our planet.
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