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Jupiter Smaller and Flatter Than Previously Believed, Study Reveals

2/3/2026

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Jupiter's Size Reevaluated

Weizmann Institute of Science researchers report that Jupiter is smaller and flatter than previously thought.
The study, published in Nature Astronomy, finds Jupiter's equatorial radius four kilometers smaller and its polar radius 12 kilometers flatter.
The study uses data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Juno spacecraft, studying Jupiter since 2016.
Prof. Yohai Kaspi notes the findings advance planetary science by improving understanding of Jupiter's atmosphere.

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Jupiter's Oxygen Discovery

A model by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of Chicago shows Jupiter contains 1.5 times more oxygen than previously estimated.
The findings from NASA's Juno and Galileo missions support the theory that Jupiter formed from icy materials near the frost line.
The slower diffusion means molecules take weeks to move through Jupiter's atmospheric layers.

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Jupiter's Size Reevaluated

Weizmann Institute of Science researchers report that Jupiter is smaller and flatter than previously thought.
The study, published in Nature Astronomy, finds Jupiter's equatorial radius four kilometers smaller and its polar radius 12 kilometers flatter.
The study uses data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Juno spacecraft, studying Jupiter since 2016.
Prof. Yohai Kaspi notes the findings advance planetary science by improving understanding of Jupiter's atmosphere.

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