Name: Pioneer Learners and Thomas A Olason
Status: Other
Age: N/A
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Question:
What is the current consensus among astronomers of the composition of
Jupiter?
Replies:
Anything is possible, but there are 3 reasons why it would be almost
impossible:
1) Jupiter's intense gravitation field;
2) Jupiter's very large
density; and
3) Jupiter's core is very, very hot!
Hawley
Yes, it is believed Jupiter has a core. In fact, it is thought there are a
series of layers of different compositions (a metallic hydrogen layer, for
example). The pressures in the atmosphere are so huge, however, that it
probably would not be wise to just fly through it. There are some science
fiction stories on the subject that give a pretty accurate description
though - Arthur Clarke's "meeting with Medusa" I think was one, and there
is a story by some Russian that has something about "Amalthea" in the title.
Of course they also speculate about strange life forms in the atmosphere
which probably do not exist.
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