Ice giant
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An ice giant is a giant planet composed mainly of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. There are two ice giants in the Solar System: Uranus and Neptune.
These cut-aways illustrate interior models of the giant planets. The planetary cores of gas giants Jupiter and Saturn are overlaid by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen, whereas the mantles of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune are composed of heavier elements.
Giant planet
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A giant planet, sometimes referred to as a jovian planet, is a diverse type of planet much larger than Earth. Giant planets are usually primarily composed of low-boiling point materials (volatiles), rather than rock or other solid matter, but massive solid planets can also exist. There are four such planets in the Solar System: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Many extrasolar giant planets have been identified.
Cut-away illustrations of the interior of the giant planets. Jupiter is shown with a rocky core overlaid by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen.
Saturn's north polar vortex
An artist's conception of 79 Ceti b, the first extrasolar giant planet found with a minimum mass less than Saturn.
Image: Jupiter and its shrunken Great Red Spot