Jupiter, the fifth planet from the sun, is the largest in our solar system. Rotating on its axis in just under 10 hours, Jupiter is the fastest moving of all the planets. Yet it takes nearly twelve years to orbit the sun.

A giant gaseous planet, Jupiter is more like our sun than our earth. Made of mostly hydrogen and helium this massive sphere has no terrain, no solid surface. It consists purely of weather systems, engulfed by the Jovian magnetosphere, which spins around the planet every 10 hours, moving in sync with the giant.

Although it appears to be banded with red, white, brown and blue ribbons this is only an illusion, caused by impurities such as phosphorous and sulfur caught in its windy atmosphere. Jupiter’s ‘Giant Red Spot’, its most famous feature, is storm system that remains relatively stable within the planet’s mass of weather patterns.

Jupiter takes 11 years and 315 days to orbit the sun, spending about a year in each of the zodiac signs. Thanks to this orbital duration, Jupiter is called the ‘Year Star’ by the Chinese, for whom its movements mark the Chinese years of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

In Western Astrology, Jupiter, also known as the ‘Lucky Planet’ is associated with Sagittarius. Sagittarians, like their ruling planet are open-minded, visionary and honest.

Jupiter, the king of the planets was named for the king of the gods. According to ancient myths, the roman god, Jupiter ruled the skies over Italy, while in Greece, the name Zeus was given to the heavenly ruler's counterpart.

Jupiter is a benevolent planet, helpful and protective. Like its namesake, the planet Jupiter protects us, like a father might. Indeed Zeus/Jupiter was the father of many gods and mortals. With a diameter of about eleven times that of the earth, Big Daddy, Jupiter has a mass 318 times that of the earth, and a volume one thousand times that of earth. This powerful gravitational field has come in very handy as Jupiter has used it to divert many asteroids that would otherwise have collided with our earth.

Jupiter expands everything it touches. In your natal chart, Jupiter brings luck to the area of you life ruled by the house in which it resides.

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