What are the Jovian planets?

What are the Jovian planets?

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune collectively make up the group known as the jovian planets. The general structures of the jovian planets are opposite those of the terrestrial planets.

What is the Jovian system?

Credit: NASA/ESA/M. Kornmesser. The Jovian system encompasses Jupiter, its rings and moons. Jupiter was reputedly discovered by the Babylonians approximately 2,800 years ago. Its moons were discovered by Galileo, in 1610, observed through a refracting telescope.

What are Jovian and terrestrial planets?

Terrestrial Planets: Coming from the Latin word "terra", meaning "land," the terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. ... Jovian planets are larger, further from the sun, rotate faster, have more moons, have more rings, are less dense overall and have denser cores than terrestrial planets.

What is the Jovian problem?

The Jovian Problem. Two problems for the theory of planet formation: 1) Observations of extrasolar planets indicate that Jovian planets are common. 2) Protoplanetary disks tend to be evaporated quickly (typically within ~ 100,000 years) by the radiation of nearby massive stars.  Too short for Jovian planets to grow!

Is Pluto a Jovian planet?

Pluto's position in the solar system would tend to cause it to be classified as a Jovian planet, but it is even smaller than terrestrial planets. Although it is even smaller than terrestrial planets, its average density is closer to the giant outer (Jovian) planets.

Why isn't Pluto a gas giant?

Pluto is different from the other planets, because it's not classified as a gas giant planet, or a terrestrial planet. The reason pluto is not considered a either of these is, because it has too small of a density to be considered a terrestrial planet, and is made up of rock, and ice, and no gas.

Why is Uranus blue Neptune?

Atmosphere. Neptune's atmosphere is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium with just a little bit of methane. Neptune's neighbor Uranus is a blue-green color due to such atmospheric methane, but Neptune is a more vivid, brighter blue, so there must be an unknown component that causes the more intense color.