Jupiter's Place in the Solar System

Whether our study of Jupiter is casual or serious, it will be helpful to understand some basic facts about the planet, including simple nomenclature. This knowledge will help us in our own study, and it will allow us to understand what others say and write about the planet. As I have found over the years, there is always something new and exciting to learn, something new to be discovered and revealed, but we must understand the language. So, where does Jupiter stand in the scheme of things? Our solar system is comprised of many bodies, large and small. We were taught about the nine planets in school, and their order in distance from the Sun. Recently, the International Astronomical Union changed the classifi cation of Pluto, and it is no longer officially classifi ed as a planet in the simple sense. Now we have eight planets and all manner of other bodies.