Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | S. B. Nicholson |
Discovery date | July 6, 1938[1] |
Designations | |
Adjectives | Lysithean |
Orbital characteristics | |
Mean orbit radius | 11,720,000 km[2] |
Eccentricity | 0.11[2] |
259.20 d (0.69 a)[2] | |
Average orbital speed | 3.29 km/s |
Inclination | 28.30° (to the ecliptic) 25.77° (to Jupiter's equator)[2] |
Satellite of | Jupiter |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean radius | 18 km[3] |
~4100 km2 | |
Volume | ~24,400 km3 |
Mass | 6.3×1016 kg |
Mean density | 2.6 g/cm3 (assumed)[3] |
~0.013 m/s2 (0.001 g) | |
~0.022 km/s | |
Albedo | 0.04 (assumed)[3] |
Temperature | ~124 K |
Lysithea (/laɪˈsɪθiə/ ly-SITH-ee-ə, /liˈsɪθiə/ li-SITH-ee-ə; Greek: Λυσιθέα) is a prograde non-spherical moon of Jupiter. It was found by Seth Barnes Nicholson in 1938 at Mount Wilson Observatory[1] and is named after the mythological Lysithea, daughter of Oceanus and one of Zeus' lovers.[4]
Lysithea did not get its present name until 1975; before then, it was simply known as Jupiter X. It was sometimes called "Demeter"[5] from 1955 to 1975.
It belongs to the Himalia group, five moons orbiting between 11,000,000 and 13,000,000 km from Jupiter at an inclination of about 28.3°.[2] Its orbital elements are as of January 2000. They are changing a lot due to Solar and planetary perturbations.
Listed in increasing approximate distance from Jupiter | |
Inner moons (4) | |
Galilean moons (4) | |
Themisto group (1) | |
Himalia group (9) | |
Carpo group (2) |
|
Valetudo group (1) |
|
Ananke group (26) | |
Carme group (30) |
|
Pasiphaë group (18) |
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Related page | |