All About Jupiter Trivia Quiz

Answer: Zeus

Zeus was the king of the gods in Greek mythology, with the Romans using the name of Jupiter. Interestingly, the ancients could not have known that the planet they named Jupiter (king of the gods), is the largest planet in the solar system.

Answer: 318 times that of Earth

Jupiter is more than twice as massive as all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Some scientists describe our Solar System as the Sun, Jupiter and debris.

Answer: False

The telescope wasn't invented in his time. The telescope was invented around 1590. Galileo is the first known person to look at Jupiter through a telescope. Galileo discovered the satellites of Jupiter in 1609. He was also first to see the phases of Venus.

Answer: Four

In order of distance from Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Io is a volcanic world, Europa may have an ocean under its surface, Ganymede is the largest satellite of Jupiter and Callisto is the most heavily cratered world in the Solar System.

Answer: False

Io is the only known satellite in the Solar System to have active volcanoes. This is probably due to the pull of Jupiter against the other three Galilean satellites. (One other satellite of another planet may also have volcanoes but it is unconfirmed at this time). Europa, and possibly Callisto have subsurface water and or ice.

Answer: True

Actually, on occasion, at least two or three of Jupiter's Galilean satellites are visible in moderate size binoculars. The Galilean satellites of Jupiter are so bright, that if you could remove Jupiter, the satellites would all be visible in a dark sky without any optical aid.

Answer: Voyager 1 and 2

Voyager 1 and 2 visited Jupiter in March 1979 and July 1979 respectively. Pioneer 10 and 11 also visited Jupiter back in 1973 and 1974. The Galileo spacecraft arrived at Jupiter in December of 1995. Viking 1 and 2 went to Mars in 1976. Mariner 10 flew by Venus in 1974 and Mercury in March and September of 1974 and then again in March of 1975. Surveyor 3 went to the Moon in 1967.

Answer: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

On July 16-22, 1994 Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 slammed into Jupiter. The comet was discovered in 1993 by Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker and David Levy. Over 20 fragments collided with Jupiter. Comet Hale-Bopp graced our skies in 1997, Comet Halley will return again in 2061 and Comet Ajax is probably under your kitchen sink!

Answer: Four

They are Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea and Thebe. All but Amalthea were discovered by the Voyager spacecraft. Metis is about 60 km in diameter, Adrastea is about 20 km in diameter, Amalthea is about 247 km across and Thebe is about 116 km across. Metis and Adrastea may be responsible for providing the material for Jupiter's ring.

Answer: True

Ganymede (5,262 km in diameter), the largest satellite of Jupiter, is bigger than Pluto (about 2,300 km in diameter) or Mercury (4,878 km in diameter). Callisto, another Galilean satellite of Jupiter is about 4,800 km in diameter, slightly smaller than Mercury.

Answer: True

The Jovian Giant is the fastest spinning of all planets. Jupiter probably has a rocky core in the range of 10 to 15 times the mass of Earth. The main bulk of the planet is in the form of liquid metallic hydrogen (it is in this form due to the pressure). The cloud tops is is comprised mainly of ordinary hydrogen and helium.

Answer: True

The Great Red Spot (GRS) has been observed since the invention of the telescope. The Spot is about two Earth's diameters across. The GRS, which is situated in the Southern hemisphere, rotates counterclockwise in about six Earth days.

Answer: False

Callisto, the second largest Galilean satellite, is the heaviest cratered world in the Solar System. Callisto has the lowest density of the Galilean satellites. Data from the Galileo spacecraft shows Callisto to be composed of a crust about 200 kilometers thick. Beneath this crust, there could be a ocean of salt water about six miles thick. Callisto could turn out to be a very interesting world after all.

Answer: True

Data from the Pioneer spacecraft seemed to indicate that Jupiter had a ring. The Voyager spacecraft confirmed the existance of this ring in 1979. The two innermost satellites of Jupiter, Metis and Adrastea may be the source material for Jupiter's ring.

Answer: True

Provided it is clear and it must be on the side of Jupiter facing Earth. The GRS has faded over the past decade or so, making it harder to see. It has become Salmon in color.

Answer: 143,000

Over eleven Earth's would fit across Jupiter's diameter. Jupiter is usually the fourth brightest object in the sky, after the Sun, Moon and Venus (at times the planet Mars can be brighter). Jupiter is about 90 percent hydrogen and 10 percent helium, there are traces of methane, water and ammonia.

Answer: True

Although the average is about 130 Kelvin, on occasion hot spots have been recorded at 2,000 Kelvin. Io's lava flows are believed to be made up of sulfur or sulfur dioxide. Io's surface is constantly changing as a result of the active volcanoes. When Voyager 2 imaged Io, some of the volcanoes that were active from Voyager 1 images were no longer active, but other volcanoes had erupted that were dormant in Voyager 1 images!

Answer: 59.6

The Earth's escape velocity is only 11.2 km per second.

Answer: Fifth

Since Jupiter is just beyond the main asteroid belt, it is no surprise that it "controls" some of the asteroids. These are called Trojan asteroids. These asteroids are located near Jupiter's Lagrange points (60 degrees ahead and behind Jupiter in its orbit). Several hundred such asteroids are now known.

Answer: 1.77

Europa revolves in 3.55 Earth days, Ganymede in 7.15 days and Callisto in 16.7 days. Considering how big Jupiter is, the four Galilean satellites are moving! Here's something you can do through a telescope. Make a drawing of Jupiter and the four Galilean satellites.

A few hours later, make another drawing, then compare the two, you should note a change in position of one or two of the satellites!