S/2003 J 2
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S/2003 J 2 is a retrograde irregular satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard and David Jewitt in 2003.[1] As of 2006, it is Jupiter's outermost known moon.
S/2003 J 2 is about 2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 29.54 Gm (million km) in 980 days, at an inclination of 154° to the ecliptic (152° to Jupiter's equator) and with an eccentricity of 0.2255.[2] 1
It seems to belong to a group all of its own, with semi-major axis ~30 Gm and inclination ~160°.
The limits of Jupiter's gravitational influence are defined by its Hill sphere, whose radius is 52 gigametres. Retrograde moons with axes up to 67% of Hill radius are believed to be stable. Consequently, it is possible that even more distant moons of Jupiter may be discovered.
1Current (2004 July 14, JD= 2453200.5) orbital elements as reported by[3] are a= 0.2024818AU, e=0.1882469 i=153.52114.
[edit] References
- ^ Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt An abundant population of small irregular satellites around Jupiter, Nature, 423 (May 2003), pp.261-263. Full text(pdf).
- ^ Mean orbital elements from JPL (August 2006).
- ^ Ephemeris service
| Moons of Jupiter | |
|---|---|
|
Listed in increasing distance from Jupiter. Italics indicate ungrouped moons.
|
|
| 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 · S/2003 J 14 |
| S/2003 J 2 | |
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