Metis (moon)
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 Image of Metis was taken by Galileo's solid state imaging system between November 1996 and June 1997. |
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| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by: | S. Synnott |
| Discovery date: | March 4, 1979 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Periapsis: | 127,540 km (0.000853 AU) |
| Apoapsis: | 127,840 km (0.000855 AU) |
| Mean radius of orbit: | 127,691 km (0.000854 AU) |
| Orbital circumference: | 802,300 km (0.005 AU) |
| Eccentricity: | 0.0012 |
| Orbital period: | 0.294780 d (7 h 4.5 min) |
| Avg. orbital speed: | 31.501 km/s |
| Max. orbital speed: | 31.539 km/s |
| Min. orbital speed: | 31.464 km/s |
| Inclination: | 2.22° (to the ecliptic) 0.00° (to Jupiter's equator) |
| Satellite of: | Jupiter |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mean radius: | 21.5 km |
| Surface area: | ~5800 km2 |
| Volume: | ~41,600 km3 |
| Mass: | 1.2×1017 kg |
| Mean density: | 3.0 g/cm3 |
| Equatorial surface gravity: | 0.016 m/s2 (0.002 g) |
| Escape velocity: | 0.027 km/s |
| Rotation period: | synchronous |
| Rotation velocity at equator: | 19 km/h |
| Axial tilt: | zero |
| Albedo: | 0.06 |
| Temperature: | ~123 K |
Metis (mee'-təs, IPA: [ˈmitəs], Greek Μήτις), or Jupiter XVI, is the innermost member of the Jupiter's small inner moons and thus Jupiter's innermost moon.
The moon was discovered in 1979 by the Voyager 1 probe and was designated S/1979 J 3. In 1983 it was officially named after the mythological Metis, a Titaness who was the first wife of Zeus and the mother of Athena.
Metis lies within Jupiter's main planetary ring, and may be the source of the material that comprises it. Its orbit lies inside Jupiter's synchronous orbit radius (as does Adrastea's), and as a result, tidal forces are slowly causing its orbit to decay. It is also within its density's fluid Roche limit, but not its rigid Roche limit, and so avoids tidal disruption.
Metis, the moon of Jupiter, is not to be confused with the asteroid 9 Metis.
[edit] See also
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Listed in increasing distance from Jupiter. Italics indicate ungrouped moons.
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| Amalthea group | Metis · Adrastea · Amalthea · Thebe |
| Galilean moons | Io · Europa · Ganymede · Callisto |
| Themisto | |
| Himalia group | Leda · Himalia · Lysithea · Elara · S/2000 J 11 |
| Carpo · S/2003 J 12 | |
| Ananke group | Ananke · Praxidike · Harpalyke · Iocaste · Euanthe · Thyone (core) Euporie · S/2003 J 3 · S/2003 J 18 · Thelxinoe · Helike · Orthosie · S/2003 J 16 · Hermippe · Mneme · S/2003 J 15 (peripheral) |
| Carme group | S/2003 J 17 · S/2003 J 10 · Pasithee · Chaldene · Arche · Isonoe · Erinome · Kale · Aitne · Taygete · S/2003 J 9 · Carme · S/2003 J 5 · S/2003 J 19 · Kalyke · Eukelade · Kallichore |
| Pasiphaë group | Eurydome · S/2003 J 23 · Hegemone · Pasiphaë · Sponde · Cyllene · Megaclite · S/2003 J 4 · Callirrhoe · Sinope · Autonoe · Aoede · Kore |
| S/2003 J 2 | |
