Jupiter spins faster than any other planet in our solar system, completing a full day in less than 10 hours.

Jupiter takes only 9 hours, 55 minutes, and 30 seconds to spin once. This high speed creates a force that pushes the planet's middle outward. Because of this, the distance around Jupiter's equator is 5,763 miles wider than the distance from its top to its bottom. Scientists call this shape an oblate spheroid.The fast rotation also controls the planet's weather. It creates strong winds that move in opposite directions, forming the colorful stripes seen in photos. These winds reach deep into the atmosphere, going down about 1,800 miles. NASA's Juno spacecraft discovered these deep wind patterns after arriving at the planet in 2016.Jupiter's spin also helps create a massive magnetic field. This field is 14 times stronger than Earth's magnetic field. It is powered by liquid metallic hydrogen moving deep inside the planet. This material acts like a giant generator as the planet spins.Jupiter has been spinning this fast for about 4.5 billion years. It kept this speed from the time it first formed out of gas and dust. If the planet spun much faster, the outward force would be strong enough to pull the planet apart.