Gas Planets?

Question

If atmospheres are made of gases, then how does one determine the size of a gas planet? Isn't Earth's surface used to measure it's size? Then what about Jupitor?
Furthermore, pressure and temperature aside, could one fly a ship straight through a gas planet?

Answer 1

Even though Jovian planets are gasous, there is still a definite shape and stop to the planet. The outermost layer of the planet is part of the atmosphere; therefore, defines where the planet ends. Because there is no solid surface on Jupiter, there is no way to take the exact diameter of the planet like we can on Earth because we have a solid surface.

Even with atmosphere pressure and temperature set aside, one would still have to factor in the idea of gravity and many other occurrences on the planet. Gravity is completely different than "pressure" to which you refer to, which is actually atmosphere pressure. The atmosphere pressure on Jupiter is extremely greater than that on Earth and the temperature at the innermost layer of the planet is 35,000 to 71,000 degrees Fahrenheit. So...not putting those aside completely eliminates any chances of flying through the planet. Additionally, the mass at the center of Jupiter is so tightly confine and condensed that it is almost like a solid.

Other factors that would stop one from flying through Jupiter are the atmospheric changes. Each layer of Jupiter's atmosphere moves in a different direction. This shows the turbulence there is in the upper atmosphere. It would be like flying through a hurricane that is 100 times worst than any we have ever had. Plus, there something called the Great Red Spot on Jupiter which is a storm that is twice the size of Earth....do you really want to fly through that? Along with the turbulence, Jupiter has many lightning storms that are 100 times stronger than the lightning on Earth. Do you think you would survive that? Another thing that would stop you from flying through Jupiter is its large magnetic fields. The magnetic fields on Jupiter would completely shut off your craft....and then you would be screwed. If Jupiter is pulling on Io so much it causes the particles from the moon to produce Auroras, do you really think you will make it through the planet?! I think not.

I have more you would probably like to hear. I am studying astronomy in school.

Answer 2

The "surface" of Jupiter (and other gas giants) is loosely defined as that altitude where the air pressure is equivalent to sea level air pressure on Earth.

The answer to the second part is a definitive, no! Or rather, it would be like asking if, solid rock aside, could one fly a ship right through the Earth.

Answer 3

actual, quite a few different image voltaic structures we've detected have had inner gasoline vast planets - gasoline giants very close to to their stars. we've also detected at present image voltaic structures with some closer inner planets, yet a lot of those image voltaic structures are more beneficial sturdy to detect via the undeniable fact that's a lot less demanding to detect large-huge gasoline giants in orbit round their suns given the nature of our present day extrasolar planetary detection procedures. the actuality is that there are not any widely oftentimes occurring theories as to why our image voltaic device has all rocky inner planets (together with the asteroids contained in the belt) and as a rule gasoline giants for outer planets. although, it would also be said that there are a kind of different, "non-gassy" issues contained in the outer image voltaic device, like the Oort cloud (plenty and far of comets), and Pluto, which become at present declassified as a planet yet is reasonably tremendous for a comet and by no ability made from gasoline. contained in the properly, the elements that be certain the kind of any given image voltaic device would finally end up to be a crap shoot - a complicated device that's acted upon by utilising gravity, which will be too complicated to be able of make precise theoretical predictions about with out hugely more beneficial efficient supercomputers (what some would call a "chaotic" device).

Answer 4

As a matter of fact the planet Jupiter, resembling of that what you named "gas planet" is due to its structure between the state of a planet and a star, but for a star it hasn't got the critical mass, being in lack of a huge amount of hydrogen.

Answer 5

no material could survive going through the center or escape the center of gravity, but small particles like neutrinos could they are so small they could pass through a mile long piece of lead and never hit an atom. So if you traveled at close to the speed of light and your ship was as big as a neutrino, you could do it.

Answer 6

Please don't say Gas, the oil companies will have another reason to jack up prices. Any excuse they can get, they will use. LOL