Mass of Jupiter
Written by Fraser Cain
Jupiter has a total mass of 1.9 x 1027 kg. I know, that's incredibly large number, so let's give you some context. You could have almost 318 earths to equal the mass of Jupiter. In fact, Jupiter is 2.5 times more massive than all the other planets in the Solar System combined.
Astronomers think that Jupiter is about as large as it can be with its current mass. If got any more massive, the additional material would pull inward with more gravity, and actually make the planet contract. You could get 4 times as much mass, as Jupiter currently has, and still be roughly the same size.
Even though Jupiter is very massive, it has a low density because it's primarily made of hydrogen, the lightest element in the Universe. While Earth has a density of 5.52 grams per cubic centimeter, Jupiter's density is only 1.33 g/cm3.
The implications of this incredibly high mass, but large size and low density means that the gravity on the "surface" of Jupiter is about 2.5 times what you would experience on Earth.
Here's an article from Universe Today explaining just how big planets can get, and an article about how Jupiter and the other gas giants might have gobbled up their moons while they were forming.
This site has more detailed information about the mass of Jupiter, and a page from NASA that helps you calculate the density of the planets.
We've also recorded an entire show just on Jupiter for Astronomy Cast. Listen to it here, Episode 56: Jupiter, and Episode 57: Jupiter's Moons.
Filed under: Astronomy
