Jupiter is the fifth planet in the distance from the Sun (the fifth planet in the solar system).
Jupiter belongs to the gas giants and is named after the supreme ancient Roman god, an analogue of the ancient Greek Zeus.
Jupiter currently has 79 natural satellites.
Jupiter has been known to humans since ancient times. In Mesopotamian culture, the planet was called "White Star". A detailed description of the 12-year cycle of motion of Jupiter was given by Chinese astronomers, who called the planet "Star of the Year". The Greeks called him "Star of Zeus".
Jupiter's neighbors are Saturn and Mars, which is separated from the giant by the asteroid belt.
The most recognized model for Jupiter's structure suggests that it consists of an atmosphere, a layer of metallic hydrogen and a rocky core.
The shape of Jupiter's magnetic field is strongly flattened and resembles a disk.
Jupiter has powerful radiation belts. The Galileo spacecraft, when flying around the giant, received a dose of radiation that exceeded the lethal level for humans by 25 times.
Jupiter has faint rings discovered during Voyager 1's passage past the planet in 1979.