Ruth Patrick Science Education Center Observatory
Our Solar System Series - Jupiter
The RPSEC Jupiter cache is part of the solar system cache series centered at the University of South Carolina Aiken. In this solar system model, the 5-meter (16.4-feet) dome of the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center (RPSEC) Observatory represents the diameter of the Sun known as Sol. Be sure to compare the size of the planet image on the cache to the size of and distance to the observatory dome on top of the RPSEC. The sizes and distance are to scale.
Jupiter is the planet fifth closest to the Sun. It has been known since antiquity and named by the Greeks as one of the five asteres planetai or "wandering stars." Today, we know that it is one of the five planets orbiting the Sun that are visible to people on Earth with unaided vision. These wanderers or planets are Mercury, Mars, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
Jupiter Facts:
- One of the Gas Giant Planets that include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus & Neptune.
- Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System.
- Distance from Sun: Average = 484 million mi. (778 million km.)
- Diameter = 86,881 mi. (139,822 km.)
- Length of year = 11.86 Earth years
- Length of day = 9 hours 55 minutes Earth time.
| Jupiter Distances with Sun Diameter = 5 m. |
| Diam cm |
Diam in |
Orbit km |
Orbit mi |
Orbit m |
Orbit ft |
50.26
|
19.79 |
2.798
|
1.74 |
2,798 |
9,179 |
Be sure to obtain the code from the cache container in order to find the final Sun cache location.
All First Day Finders (FDF) received a prize of two complementary planetarium tickets and a FDF Award Card. Visit http://rpsec.usca.edu/planetarium/ for schedule information.
Congratulations to The L Family who sought and was FTF Jupiter!
Permission for this hide was given by the very kind landowners. If you happen to see them, tell them thank you.
RPSEC Solar System Series:
- RPSEC Mercury - http://coord.info/GC3HQQH
- RPSEC Venus - http://coord.info/GC3JGQ4
- RPSEC Earth - http://coord.info/GC3V76Q
- RPSEC Mars - http://coord.info/GC41QMY
- RPSEC Dwarf Planet Ceres - http://coord.info/GC4342F
- RPSEC Jupiter - http://coord.info/GC49K1F
- RPSEC Saturn - http://coord.info/GC532M6
- RPSEC Uranus - http://coord.info/GC5FFXH
- RPSEC Neptune - http://coord.info/GC5QGBB
- RPSEC Dwarf Planet Pluto - http://coord.info/GC63TR7
- RPSEC Dwarf Planet Haumea - http://coord.info/GC6BXJ4
- RPSEC Dwarf Planet Makemake - http://coord.info/GC6F1RZ
- RPSEC Dwarf Planet Eris - http://coord.info/GC6HVTA
- RPSEC Sun - https://coord.info/GC6VW9W - get the cache codes from the first 13 Solar System Series caches to find the Sun.
Solar System in One Day Honor Roll. Find all of the above caches in one day and be included in the honor roll located on the RPSEC Sun page.
- RPSEC Ultima Thule - http://coord.info/GC81EPX