You can see them with a telescope, and you know a little about them. Here is more quick facts on our far away neighbors.
In the solar system, the planets are grouped into two separate, general groups: The Jovian Planets, and the Terrestrial Planets.
Here I will focus on the first.
The Jovian Planets consist of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. These planets are located furthest from the sun, past the asteroid belt. They are very similar to each other but do not compare to the terrestrial planets easily.
The Jovian Planets are also known as the “Gas Giants”. This is because they are made up of thick gases and also because they are considerably larger than the terrestrial planets.
Jupiter and Saturn are very similar in size and appearance. They are both oblate, which means that they are not perfect spheres. Their equators bulge out due to low density and gravity along with speed. Saturn is more oblate than Jupiter though. Both planets have thick clouds of violent weather patterns. They are also the two largest planets in the solar system, Jupiter being the largest.
Uranus and Neptune can easily be grouped together as well. Both of these planets have a strong blue color to them. This is due to the fact they have more Methane in their atmospheres than the Jovian planets. Unlike Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus and Neptune have little, to no, clouds in their atmosphere.
Their size is similar, as well, to each other. They are small than Jupiter and Saturn. Also, they directly affect each other’s orbit; Neptune is sometimes able to slow Uranus, or speed it up in it’s orbit.
Uranus, however, differs from Saturn in that it spins on an axis tipped at ninety-five degrees.
These are just a few of the basic differences and similarities between the Jovian Planets. Note how each planet seems to have a “partner” in the Solar System.