Home » Archimedes archive » Zipped Apps » Orrery » !Solar/Describe/Jupiter

!Solar/Describe/Jupiter

This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.

Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.

Tape/disk: Home » Archimedes archive » Zipped Apps » Orrery
Filename: !Solar/Describe/Jupiter
Read OK:
File size: 070B bytes
Load address: 0000
Exec address: 0000
File contents
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun, and is easily the 
largest planet in the solar system. It is orbited by sixteen 
moons, only four of which have significant size, Ganymede, 
Callisto, Io and Europa. Jupiter is referred to as a "gas 
giant", meaning that it is nearly all atmosphere, with a 
relatively small solid core. This very deep atmosphere is 
composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, with the upper clouds 
being formed from droplets of ammonia. The visible surface of 
the atmosphere is very vivid, showing distinct features and 
weather systems. One such feature is the Great Red Spot, which 
has been identified as a whirling storm rotating clockwise once 
every 12 days. Clearly visible as well, are bands representing 
different currents occurring in the cool Jovian atmosphere. These 
can be seen to rotate, with the polar regions moving slower 
than the equatorial regions.

The planets size creates enormous pressure at its core, and as 
such produces large amounts of radiation and heat. The 
core temperature may be as high as 30,000 degrees C. The 
radiation belts extend far beyond the planet into space and 
provide a lethal environment for spacefaring craft that venture 
too close. The planet also produces a powerful magnetic field. 
It is interesting to note that had the planet been somewhat 
more massive than it is, it would be classified as a star, with 
enough gravitational pressure to initiate nuclear fusion in its 
core and may have shone with its own light giving a solar 
system with two stars (A commonly observed occurrence in other 
parts of the Galaxy).

Close up details of Jupiter and its moons have been received by 
various probes launched since 1972. The first to arrive was 
Pioneer 10 in 1973, followed by Pioneer 11 and Voyagers 1 and 2 
in 1979.

00000000  4a 75 70 69 74 65 72 20  69 73 20 74 68 65 20 66  |Jupiter is the f|
00000010  69 66 74 68 20 70 6c 61  6e 65 74 20 66 72 6f 6d  |ifth planet from|
00000020  20 74 68 65 20 53 75 6e  2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 73  | the Sun, and is|
00000030  20 65 61 73 69 6c 79 20  74 68 65 20 0a 6c 61 72  | easily the .lar|
00000040  67 65 73 74 20 70 6c 61  6e 65 74 20 69 6e 20 74  |gest planet in t|
00000050  68 65 20 73 6f 6c 61 72  20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2e  |he solar system.|
00000060  20 49 74 20 69 73 20 6f  72 62 69 74 65 64 20 62  | It is orbited b|
00000070  79 20 73 69 78 74 65 65  6e 20 0a 6d 6f 6f 6e 73  |y sixteen .moons|
00000080  2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 66  6f 75 72 20 6f 66 20 77  |, only four of w|
00000090  68 69 63 68 20 68 61 76  65 20 73 69 67 6e 69 66  |hich have signif|
000000a0  69 63 61 6e 74 20 73 69  7a 65 2c 20 47 61 6e 79  |icant size, Gany|
000000b0  6d 65 64 65 2c 20 0a 43  61 6c 6c 69 73 74 6f 2c  |mede, .Callisto,|
000000c0  20 49 6f 20 61 6e 64 20  45 75 72 6f 70 61 2e 20  | Io and Europa. |
000000d0  4a 75 70 69 74 65 72 20  69 73 20 72 65 66 65 72  |Jupiter is refer|
000000e0  72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 61  73 20 61 20 22 67 61 73  |red to as a "gas|
000000f0  20 0a 67 69 61 6e 74 22  2c 20 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e  | .giant", meanin|
00000100  67 20 74 68 61 74 20 69  74 20 69 73 20 6e 65 61  |g that it is nea|
00000110  72 6c 79 20 61 6c 6c 20  61 74 6d 6f 73 70 68 65  |rly all atmosphe|
00000120  72 65 2c 20 77 69 74 68  20 61 20 0a 72 65 6c 61  |re, with a .rela|
00000130  74 69 76 65 6c 79 20 73  6d 61 6c 6c 20 73 6f 6c  |tively small sol|
00000140  69 64 20 63 6f 72 65 2e  20 54 68 69 73 20 76 65  |id core. This ve|
00000150  72 79 20 64 65 65 70 20  61 74 6d 6f 73 70 68 65  |ry deep atmosphe|
00000160  72 65 20 69 73 20 0a 63  6f 6d 70 6f 73 65 64 20  |re is .composed |
00000170  6d 61 69 6e 6c 79 20 6f  66 20 68 79 64 72 6f 67  |mainly of hydrog|
00000180  65 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 68  65 6c 69 75 6d 2c 20 77  |en and helium, w|
00000190  69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20  75 70 70 65 72 20 63 6c  |ith the upper cl|
000001a0  6f 75 64 73 20 0a 62 65  69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 6d  |ouds .being form|
000001b0  65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  64 72 6f 70 6c 65 74 73  |ed from droplets|
000001c0  20 6f 66 20 61 6d 6d 6f  6e 69 61 2e 20 54 68 65  | of ammonia. The|
000001d0  20 76 69 73 69 62 6c 65  20 73 75 72 66 61 63 65  | visible surface|
000001e0  20 6f 66 20 0a 74 68 65  20 61 74 6d 6f 73 70 68  | of .the atmosph|
000001f0  65 72 65 20 69 73 20 76  65 72 79 20 76 69 76 69  |ere is very vivi|
00000200  64 2c 20 73 68 6f 77 69  6e 67 20 64 69 73 74 69  |d, showing disti|
00000210  6e 63 74 20 66 65 61 74  75 72 65 73 20 61 6e 64  |nct features and|
00000220  20 0a 77 65 61 74 68 65  72 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d  | .weather system|
00000230  73 2e 20 4f 6e 65 20 73  75 63 68 20 66 65 61 74  |s. One such feat|
00000240  75 72 65 20 69 73 20 74  68 65 20 47 72 65 61 74  |ure is the Great|
00000250  20 52 65 64 20 53 70 6f  74 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68  | Red Spot, which|
00000260  20 0a 68 61 73 20 62 65  65 6e 20 69 64 65 6e 74  | .has been ident|
00000270  69 66 69 65 64 20 61 73  20 61 20 77 68 69 72 6c  |ified as a whirl|
00000280  69 6e 67 20 73 74 6f 72  6d 20 72 6f 74 61 74 69  |ing storm rotati|
00000290  6e 67 20 63 6c 6f 63 6b  77 69 73 65 20 6f 6e 63  |ng clockwise onc|
000002a0  65 20 0a 65 76 65 72 79  20 31 32 20 64 61 79 73  |e .every 12 days|
000002b0  2e 20 43 6c 65 61 72 6c  79 20 76 69 73 69 62 6c  |. Clearly visibl|
000002c0  65 20 61 73 20 77 65 6c  6c 2c 20 61 72 65 20 62  |e as well, are b|
000002d0  61 6e 64 73 20 72 65 70  72 65 73 65 6e 74 69 6e  |ands representin|
000002e0  67 20 0a 64 69 66 66 65  72 65 6e 74 20 63 75 72  |g .different cur|
000002f0  72 65 6e 74 73 20 6f 63  63 75 72 72 69 6e 67 20  |rents occurring |
00000300  69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 63  6f 6f 6c 20 4a 6f 76 69  |in the cool Jovi|
00000310  61 6e 20 61 74 6d 6f 73  70 68 65 72 65 2e 20 54  |an atmosphere. T|
00000320  68 65 73 65 20 0a 63 61  6e 20 62 65 20 73 65 65  |hese .can be see|
00000330  6e 20 74 6f 20 72 6f 74  61 74 65 2c 20 77 69 74  |n to rotate, wit|
00000340  68 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f  6c 61 72 20 72 65 67 69  |h the polar regi|
00000350  6f 6e 73 20 6d 6f 76 69  6e 67 20 73 6c 6f 77 65  |ons moving slowe|
00000360  72 20 0a 74 68 61 6e 20  74 68 65 20 65 71 75 61  |r .than the equa|
00000370  74 6f 72 69 61 6c 20 72  65 67 69 6f 6e 73 2e 0a  |torial regions..|
00000380  0a 54 68 65 20 70 6c 61  6e 65 74 73 20 73 69 7a  |.The planets siz|
00000390  65 20 63 72 65 61 74 65  73 20 65 6e 6f 72 6d 6f  |e creates enormo|
000003a0  75 73 20 70 72 65 73 73  75 72 65 20 61 74 20 69  |us pressure at i|
000003b0  74 73 20 63 6f 72 65 2c  20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 20  |ts core, and as |
000003c0  0a 73 75 63 68 20 70 72  6f 64 75 63 65 73 20 6c  |.such produces l|
000003d0  61 72 67 65 20 61 6d 6f  75 6e 74 73 20 6f 66 20  |arge amounts of |
000003e0  72 61 64 69 61 74 69 6f  6e 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65  |radiation and he|
000003f0  61 74 2e 20 54 68 65 20  0a 63 6f 72 65 20 74 65  |at. The .core te|
00000400  6d 70 65 72 61 74 75 72  65 20 6d 61 79 20 62 65  |mperature may be|
00000410  20 61 73 20 68 69 67 68  20 61 73 20 33 30 2c 30  | as high as 30,0|
00000420  30 30 20 64 65 67 72 65  65 73 20 43 2e 20 54 68  |00 degrees C. Th|
00000430  65 20 0a 72 61 64 69 61  74 69 6f 6e 20 62 65 6c  |e .radiation bel|
00000440  74 73 20 65 78 74 65 6e  64 20 66 61 72 20 62 65  |ts extend far be|
00000450  79 6f 6e 64 20 74 68 65  20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20  |yond the planet |
00000460  69 6e 74 6f 20 73 70 61  63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 0a  |into space and .|
00000470  70 72 6f 76 69 64 65 20  61 20 6c 65 74 68 61 6c  |provide a lethal|
00000480  20 65 6e 76 69 72 6f 6e  6d 65 6e 74 20 66 6f 72  | environment for|
00000490  20 73 70 61 63 65 66 61  72 69 6e 67 20 63 72 61  | spacefaring cra|
000004a0  66 74 20 74 68 61 74 20  76 65 6e 74 75 72 65 20  |ft that venture |
000004b0  0a 74 6f 6f 20 63 6c 6f  73 65 2e 20 54 68 65 20  |.too close. The |
000004c0  70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20 61  6c 73 6f 20 70 72 6f 64  |planet also prod|
000004d0  75 63 65 73 20 61 20 70  6f 77 65 72 66 75 6c 20  |uces a powerful |
000004e0  6d 61 67 6e 65 74 69 63  20 66 69 65 6c 64 2e 20  |magnetic field. |
000004f0  0a 49 74 20 69 73 20 69  6e 74 65 72 65 73 74 69  |.It is interesti|
00000500  6e 67 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f  74 65 20 74 68 61 74 20  |ng to note that |
00000510  68 61 64 20 74 68 65 20  70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20 62  |had the planet b|
00000520  65 65 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65  77 68 61 74 20 0a 6d 6f  |een somewhat .mo|
00000530  72 65 20 6d 61 73 73 69  76 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20  |re massive than |
00000540  69 74 20 69 73 2c 20 69  74 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20  |it is, it would |
00000550  62 65 20 63 6c 61 73 73  69 66 69 65 64 20 61 73  |be classified as|
00000560  20 61 20 73 74 61 72 2c  20 77 69 74 68 20 0a 65  | a star, with .e|
00000570  6e 6f 75 67 68 20 67 72  61 76 69 74 61 74 69 6f  |nough gravitatio|
00000580  6e 61 6c 20 70 72 65 73  73 75 72 65 20 74 6f 20  |nal pressure to |
00000590  69 6e 69 74 69 61 74 65  20 6e 75 63 6c 65 61 72  |initiate nuclear|
000005a0  20 66 75 73 69 6f 6e 20  69 6e 20 69 74 73 20 0a  | fusion in its .|
000005b0  63 6f 72 65 20 61 6e 64  20 6d 61 79 20 68 61 76  |core and may hav|
000005c0  65 20 73 68 6f 6e 65 20  77 69 74 68 20 69 74 73  |e shone with its|
000005d0  20 6f 77 6e 20 6c 69 67  68 74 20 67 69 76 69 6e  | own light givin|
000005e0  67 20 61 20 73 6f 6c 61  72 20 0a 73 79 73 74 65  |g a solar .syste|
000005f0  6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 74  77 6f 20 73 74 61 72 73  |m with two stars|
00000600  20 28 41 20 63 6f 6d 6d  6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f 62 73  | (A commonly obs|
00000610  65 72 76 65 64 20 6f 63  63 75 72 72 65 6e 63 65  |erved occurrence|
00000620  20 69 6e 20 6f 74 68 65  72 20 0a 70 61 72 74 73  | in other .parts|
00000630  20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20  47 61 6c 61 78 79 29 2e  | of the Galaxy).|
00000640  0a 0a 43 6c 6f 73 65 20  75 70 20 64 65 74 61 69  |..Close up detai|
00000650  6c 73 20 6f 66 20 4a 75  70 69 74 65 72 20 61 6e  |ls of Jupiter an|
00000660  64 20 69 74 73 20 6d 6f  6f 6e 73 20 68 61 76 65  |d its moons have|
00000670  20 62 65 65 6e 20 72 65  63 65 69 76 65 64 20 62  | been received b|
00000680  79 20 0a 76 61 72 69 6f  75 73 20 70 72 6f 62 65  |y .various probe|
00000690  73 20 6c 61 75 6e 63 68  65 64 20 73 69 6e 63 65  |s launched since|
000006a0  20 31 39 37 32 2e 20 54  68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74  | 1972. The first|
000006b0  20 74 6f 20 61 72 72 69  76 65 20 77 61 73 20 0a  | to arrive was .|
000006c0  50 69 6f 6e 65 65 72 20  31 30 20 69 6e 20 31 39  |Pioneer 10 in 19|
000006d0  37 33 2c 20 66 6f 6c 6c  6f 77 65 64 20 62 79 20  |73, followed by |
000006e0  50 69 6f 6e 65 65 72 20  31 31 20 61 6e 64 20 56  |Pioneer 11 and V|
000006f0  6f 79 61 67 65 72 73 20  31 20 61 6e 64 20 32 20  |oyagers 1 and 2 |
00000700  0a 69 6e 20 31 39 37 39  2e 0a 0a                 |.in 1979...|
0000070b