Worlds apart

Earth vs Jupiter

What are they, and what does the difference actually look like?

Two things. One honest scale.

Meet the pair

What these two things are

Earth

Earth is the rocky planet on which we live and the third planet from the Sun.

12,740 kmMean diameter

Jupiter

Jupiter is a giant planet composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, orbiting the Sun beyond the asteroid belt.

139,800 kmMean diameter

Jupiter has about 11 times the mean diameter of Earth.

True scale
01
Earth12,740 kmMean diameter
02
Jupiter139,800 kmMean diameter
Both marked spans share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its proportions; poses and surface detail are illustrative.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +

Earth

Mean-radius spherical model for Earth; actual shape is not perfectly spherical.

NASA JPL — planetary physical parameters

The marked mean diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Jupiter

Mean-radius spherical model for Jupiter; actual shape is not perfectly spherical. Gravity refers to a conventional atmospheric level, not solid ground.

NASA JPL — planetary physical parameters

The marked mean diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Change the comparison

Put something else beside it.

Measurement details

Why these numbers?

The visual compares mean diameter with mean diameter. The records below preserve each value’s basis and caveats.

Earth

12,740 km

Mean diameter · approximate

Mean-radius spherical model for Earth; actual shape is not perfectly spherical.

Jupiter

139,800 km

Mean diameter · approximate

Mean-radius spherical model for Jupiter; actual shape is not perfectly spherical. Gravity refers to a conventional atmospheric level, not solid ground.

Comparing
Mean diameter ↔ Mean diameter
Relative size
Jupiter is larger on this measurement by a factor of about 11.

How to read the visual

The labelled spans and stored measurements determine the scale; unmeasured illustration details do not.

  • Earth is labelled approximate; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
  • Jupiter is labelled approximate; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.

There’s always another scale

Follow your curiosity.

Explore things ↗

Side by side

Another point of view.

All comparisons ↗

Share a little perspective.