• A. Earth
  • B. Mars
  • C. Jupiter
  • D. Venus

💡 Need a hint?

Think about the largest planet in our solar system. Despite its enormous size, it spins surprisingly fast.

✅ View the answer

The correct answer is C. Jupiter. This giant planet completes one full rotation on its axis in less than ten hours, giving it the shortest day of all the planets in our solar system.

📚 More background information

Jupiter is both the largest planet and the fastest spinner. That combination has consequences for its shape: the high rotation speed causes the planet to be flattened at the poles and bulged out at the equator. That rapid rotation also influences the well-known cloud bands and storms such as the Great Red Spot, a gigantic storm that has persisted for centuries.

Earth takes around 24 hours to complete one full rotation. Venus sits at the other end of the spectrum: it not only rotates extremely slowly (hundreds of days per revolution), but also in the opposite direction. On Venus, the sun therefore rises in the west.

Many people intuitively go for Earth or Mars when answering this question, which is understandable. Jupiter feels like a slow, lumbering planet, when in reality it spins faster than any other.