Jupiter is my favorite planet. It always has been and always will be. I vividly remember sitting among my peers in my third grade classroom and learning about planets and the solar system for the first time. “Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system,” my teacher had said. “In fact, it is more than twice as large as all the other planets combined.” I was in awe. I could barely comprehend that something could be so large. Jupiter’s appearance also captivated me; it was a blur of oranges and yellows with a big, red spiral in the middle of it. There was no particular reasoning behind my sudden attachment to this massive gas planet that was 394 million miles away but I remained intrigued nonetheless. Nearly a decade later, I still remember a significant amount of information about the planet I was obsessed with throughout elementary school. 

As many know, Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It is nearly eleven times as wide as the Earth and is composed entirely of swirling gasses and liquids. Considering that Jupiter has no true surface, if one were to attempt to land on it, they would simply fall through the thickening air and searing heat.Even if traveling the distance to Jupiter was financially and technologically feasible, it would be impossible to land on the planet and explore it as if it were a terrestrial planet. Due to its distance and form, not much is known about Jupiter. 

Furthermore, with Jupiter’s massive size also comes an incredibly strong gravitational pull. As a result, Jupiter has managed to attract many items floating through space into its orbit, including very large asteroids that eventually became Jupiter’s moons. In our solar system, Jupiter possesses the greatest number of moons in comparison to any other planet. As of right now, Jupiter is known to have eighty moons, each of which have orbital periods ranging from as short as twelve hours to as long as eight-hundred days. Jupiter itself has an orbital period of around twelve years. In other words, it takes Jupiter twelve years to complete a full orbit around the sun. Jupiter’s strong gravitational pull causes the weight of objects to be much heavier than they would be on Earth. For instance, an individual who weighs one hundred pounds on Earth, would weigh two hundred and fifty three pounds on Jupiter.

When looking from a telescope, Jupiter possesses one very distinct characteristic: the Great Red Spot. This spot is actually a storm that has been ongoing for over three centuries. The storm itself takes up such a large portion on Jupiter’s surface that nearly three Earths could fit inside. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is like a gear trapped in between two conveyor belts. High speed winds flow in opposing directions and have trapped a spinning vortex of air in between them, much like a giant hurricane. Scientists have been observing this storm since the late 1800s but only recently learned, due to groundbreaking research, that the crimson color of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is due to complex organic molecules, such as red phosphorus, that exist deep within Jupiter. 

Spiritually and astrologically, Jupiter is considered to be the planet of friendship and fulfilled wishes. It is believed that if Jupiter is placed well in one’s horoscope, one will be blessed with optimism and success. In Vedic astrology, Jupiter is known as the teacher of the other planets in the solar system, due to its age and massive size. Upon analyzing my own natal charts, I was able to find that Jupiter plays a significant role in my horoscope. Through discovering this, I developed an even deeper connection with the planet I’ve always found fascinating. I found it particularly intriguing to learn the differences in how Jupiter has been perceived scientifically and spiritually. Scientifically, Jupiter is portrayed as an intimidating planet filled with toxic gasses and numerous storms. This is certainly true. It would be impossible for human life to exist on a planet with the qualities of Jupiter, even if oxygen were readily available. Spiritually, however, Jupiter is not seen as a cold, distant planet. It is seen as a friend. Jupiter is said to have the qualities of a mentor throughout the course of one’s life. The astrological influence of Jupiter encourages individuals to pursue their curiosity and explore their passions. 

Throughout the years, I have enjoyed learning about Jupiter through a variety of different lenses. Even though it quickly became obvious to my third-grade self that I would never be able to visit or touch Jupiter. I like having the knowledge that, despite the distance, I can always be inspired scientifically and touched spiritually by the planet I have loved for so many years.