jovian planet

views updated May 08 2018

jovian planet (outer planet) A general term used to refer to the four outer, giant, gaseous planets of the solar system—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; it contrasts them to the small, rocky, inner or terrestrial planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

jovian

views updated May 08 2018

jovian Adjective derived from Jupiter and used in descriptions of the planet. In planetary geology it is not usual to spell the adjective with an initial capital letter.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

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Jovian planets

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