What is jupiter?

Jupiter is the sixth planet from the Sun and by far the largest planet in our solar system. It’s a great gas giant with a huge mass twice that of all other planets in our solar system combined, but only a little less than a half a millionth the mass of the Sun; making it one of the most massive planets. It is extremely hot (its surface is almost hot enough to melt steel) and receives almost all of the radiation from the sun. Jupiter’s orbit takes it close to the inner solar system, where it gets extremely heated by the space dust and solar winds, and produces a powerful wind that swirls around Jupiter. If you are amateur astronomers think that this is your first Jupiter, then you have to be really lucky because this is the most difficult to observe gas giant in our solar system.

The biggest amateur telescope that has been used to observe Jupiter is the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Very Large Telescope (VATth). This instrument has a very powerful camera that enables it to capture images of Jupiter at visible wavelengths. However, it also has other instruments such as a magnetometer, infrared imager, radio and gamma-ray detectors. Although it is quite large, it can only be detected by using the Very Large Telescope, which is located at the European Southern Observatory in Hawaii.

For amateur astronomers that would like to use the Very Large Telescope, they have to go through three processes before getting access to the instrument. First, they need to apply for an instrument user grant provided by the telescope, and they have to wait for it to be approved. Next, they have to demonstrate that they have the technology necessary for operating the Very Large Telescope, and they have to produce a study report of their findings using at least one radio source that can be detected by the telescope.

Radio astronomers who would like to use Very Large Telescopes such as VATth need to first apply for a radio observatory operator status. They have to prove that their radio sources can be detected by Very Large Telescopes and also that they are willing to operate the telescope. Finally, they have to submit to a background check that will have them prove that they know how to use the telescope and also that they are able to control the telescope.

There are also radio telescopes that use Very Large Telescopes. One of these is the Hitachi Radio Telescope, which is operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The name of this telescope is somewhat unique because the name also describes a particular characteristic of this giant telescope. Another is the orbiting Subaru Radio Telescope, also operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The name of this telescope is suggestive of a certain fact about our planet – namely that it is a planet around other stars.

If you would like to learn more about Very Large Telescopes and amateur radio imaging, you can find many websites online that provide such information. In fact, some of these sites offer a section dedicated to Jupiter and the Galilean satellites. There are even sites on-line that give information on amateur radio imaging and the details on the Jovian system. Such resources are very useful to those who would like to answer the question ‘what is Jupiter?’