Jupiter

Across the vast canvas of the night sky, Jupiter reigns supreme. This celestial artwork, visible from Melbourne, isn’t just a planet. It’s a beacon of light, a captivating spectacle, a testament to the wonders of our solar system. Jupiter, the third brightest object in the night sky after the moon and Venus, demands attention. You can clearly see Jupiter from 9pm as it journeys across the eastern sky, then north, before fading in the west around 7:15pm. Jupiter is immense, so large that nearly 1,400 Earths could fit inside it. A gas giant composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, Jupiter is more than twice as massive as all the other planets in our solar system combined. Its swirling cloud stripes and colossal storms, like the Great Red Spot, are visible even from Earth with a good telescope. This Great Red Spot is a storm larger than Earth. It has raged for over 300 years. While Jupiter has rings, they are faint and difficult to observe without specialized equipment. Did you know that a day on Jupiter lasts only 10 hours? Yet, a year on this massive planet is equivalent to 11.8 Earth years. Jupiter boasts a staggering number of moons, with 95 officially recognized. As you gaze upon Jupiter from Melbourne, remember that you’re looking at a planet known since ancient times, a celestial giant visible without a telescope. It’s a planet that has been visited by numerous spacecraft, each mission revealing more of its secrets. Jupiter even has auroras, hundreds of times more energetic and far larger than those on Earth, perpetually illuminating its polar regions. So, look up and marvel at Jupiter, a true artwork in the Melbourne night sky.