Chapter 8 Jane Lucas

Jane Lucas
Astronomy 100-Week 9 – Chapter 8
Jovian Planets
Jovian Moons
Jupiter’s Moons
Saturn’s Moons
Uranus & Neptune’s Moons
Jovian Planet Rings
Chapter 8 discusses the Jovian Planet Systems.  The chapter discusses the jovian planets, than on their many moons, and concludes with their complex rings.
Jovian planets are much larger in size and very different in composition compared to the terrestrial planets.  Jovian planets are orbited by rings and have numerous rings.  Jovian planets are often referred to as “gas giants”.  There are 4 jovian planets which are: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.  These planets are made up of hydrogen, helium, and hydrogen compounds.  Jupiter and Saturn are made mostly of hydrogen and helium, and Uranus and Neptune are made mostly of hydrogen compounds mixed with metal and rock.  The interiors of these planets are layered with very high internal temperatures.  Also, these planets have multiple cloud layers that give them distinctive colors, fast winds, and large storms, and strong magnetic fields. 
Jovian moons are geologically active.  These moons range in all sizes.  There are more than
160 moons orbiting the jovian planets.  
Jupiter has the four largest moons.  They are also known as the Galilean moons, because they were discovered by Galileo.  The moons that orbit Jupiter are: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Saturn has seven moons.  Titan is Saturn’s largest moon, and is the second largest moon in our solar system.  The other six moon are: Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, and Lapetus.  
Uranus has five moons.  These moons are all medium-sized.  The smallest of these moons is Miranda.  Neptune has one moon called Triton.  Triton is a large moon, but smaller than the Earth’s moon.
Jovian planets have rings.  Saturn’s rings are made up of numerous and reflective particles than the makeup of the other planets rings.  These rings are composed of particles formed in the disks of gas.  
Chapter 8 explored and taught us all about the jovian planets, their moons, and their rings.  The chapter explained in detail all about their moons.  Jovian planets are much different in comparison to terrestrial planets.