• Question: What would happen if all the planets were as big as Jupiter?

    Asked by Fonten to Hussain on 12 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Hussain Jaffery

      Hussain Jaffery answered on 12 Nov 2015:

      This is a tough question because you have to imagine that every single planet in our solar system, and all of the planets in other solar systems were the same size roughly as Jupiter is.

      Jupiter is large in volume, but not very dense, because its mostly a gassy marble. Rocky planets like Earth are mad up of heavier elements, like metals, and obviously rocks.

      So a universe where all planets were like jupiter might not be very welcoming for life to form on the planets, as life as we know it needs water, a stable environment. Gassy planets are very stormy (the big red spot on Jupiter being one example, where winds are hundreds of miles and hour), and very dark under the clouds, we don’t even know if there’s a surface under the gassy layer, or if its gas all the way through!

      Just close your eyes and imagine this weird and gassy universe! 😀

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