QUICK FACTS ABOUT JUPITER
How far it is from the sun: an average distance of 484 million miles (779 million km)
How big it is: 86,900 miles across (139,900 km), or 11 times wider than Earth
How many moons it has: 95 officially recognized moons
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and the fifth planet from the sun. The gas giant features beautiful banded cloud layers, a set of thin, dusty rings, the famous Great Red Spot and dozens of moons. Jupiter is also the oldest planet in the solar system, having formed 4.6 billion years ago. Read on to learn more about the raging storms on Jupiter's surface, the expeditions to explore Jupiter and its moons, and whether any life could exist around the faraway planet.
