Jupiter mass
Jupiter mass | |
---|---|
outer Solar System | |
General information | |
Unit system | Astronomical system of units |
Unit of | mass |
Symbol | MJ, MJup or M♃ |
Conversions | |
1 MJ in ... | ... is equal to ... |
SI base unit | (1.89813±0.00019)×1027 kg[1] |
U.S. customary | ≈ 4.1847×1027 pounds |
Jupiter mass, also called Jovian mass, is the
Jupiter mass is a common unit of
Current best estimates
The current best known value for the mass of Jupiter can be expressed as 1898130 yottagrams:
which is about 1⁄1000 as massive as the Sun (is about 0.1% M☉):
Jupiter is 318 times as massive as Earth:
Context and implications
Jupiter's mass is 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined—this is so massive that its
Because the mass of Jupiter is so large compared to the other objects in the Solar System, the effects of its gravity must be included when calculating satellite trajectories and the precise orbits of other bodies in the Solar System, including the Moon and even Pluto.
Theoretical models indicate that if Jupiter had much more mass than it does at present, its atmosphere would collapse, and the planet would shrink.
Gravitational constant
The mass of Jupiter is derived from the measured value called the Jovian mass parameter, which is denoted with GMJ. The mass of Jupiter is calculated by dividing GMJ by the constant G. For celestial bodies such as Jupiter, Earth and the Sun, the value of the GM product is known to many orders of magnitude more precisely than either factor independently. The limited precision available for G limits the uncertainty of the derived mass. For this reason, astronomers often prefer to refer to the gravitational parameter, rather than the explicit mass. The GM products are used when computing the ratio of Jupiter mass relative to other objects.
In 2015, the International Astronomical Union defined the nominal Jovian mass parameter to remain constant regardless of subsequent improvements in measurement precision of MJ. This constant is defined as exactly
If the explicit mass of Jupiter is needed in SI units, it can be calculated in terms of the gravitational constant, G by dividing GM by G.[9]
Mass composition
The majority of Jupiter's mass is hydrogen and helium. These two elements make up more than 87% of the total mass of Jupiter.[10] The total mass of heavy elements other than hydrogen and helium in the planet is between 11 and 45 ME.[11] The bulk of the hydrogen on Jupiter is solid hydrogen.[12] Evidence suggests that Jupiter contains a central dense core. If so, the mass of the core is predicted to be no larger than about 12 ME. The exact mass of the core is uncertain due to the relatively poor knowledge of the behavior of solid hydrogen at very high pressures.[10]
Relative mass
Object | MJ / Mobject | Mobject / MJ | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
Sun | 9.547919(15)×10−4 | 1047.348644(17) | [3] |
Earth | 317.82838 | 0.0031463520 | [13] |
Jupiter | 1 | 1 | by definition |
Saturn | 3.3397683 | 0.29942197 | [note 1] |
Uranus | 21.867552 | 0.045729856 | [note 1] |
Neptune | 18.53467 | 0.05395295 | [note 1] |
Gliese 229B
|
21–52.4 | [14] | |
51 Pegasi b | 0.472±0.039 | [15] |
See also
Notes
References
- ^ a b "Planets and Pluto: Physical Characteristics". ssd.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Labritory. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ Coffey, Jerry (18 June 2008). "Mass of Jupiter". Universe Today. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
- ^ a b c "Numerical Standards for Fundamental Astronomy". maia.usno.navy.mil. IAU Working Group. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ISBN 9781461454434.
the barycenter is 743,000 km from the center of the sun. The Sun's radius is 696,000 km, so it is 47,000 km above the surface.
- ^ S2CID 8369390.
- ^ How the Universe Works 3. Vol. Jupiter: Destroyer or Savior?. Discovery Channel. 2014.
- PMID 10506563.
- doi:10.1086/172427.
- ^ arXiv:1510.07674 [astro-ph.SR].
- ^ a b Guillot, Tristan; Stevenson, David J.; Hubbard, William B.; Saumon, Didier. "The Interior of Jupiter" (PDF). Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- S2CID 5466469.
- .
- ^ "Planetary Fact Sheet – Ratio to Earth". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
- doi:10.1086/191401.
- S2CID 119224213.