Spot found on Jupiter
Monday, July 27th, 2009
By: Alexis Landis
alandis@whyy.org
The massive planet Jupiter has a bruise on it. What could have caused this huge spot? Was it climate change or from something that crashed into the surface? But how does something even crash into a planet that is made of gas? Also find out what to expect from the night sky this week and final thoughts on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Credit: Hubblesite.org, NASA.gov, Reta Beebe, and Amy Simon (New Mexico State University)
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What is the definition of a planet? If one, like Jupiter, is made of gas…how can it be a planet? My personal definition is that it has an orbit around the sun and you can land on it (science-fictionally speaking). Therefore, a solid mass.