Lysithea (moon)
| Lysithea | |
|---|---|
| Central body | Jupiter |
| Properties of the orbit | |
| Major semi-axis | 11,717,000 km |
| Periapsis | 10,400,000 km |
| Apoapsis | 13,034,000 km |
| eccentricity | 0.1124 |
| Orbit inclination | 28.302 ° |
| Orbital time | 259.20 d |
| Mean orbital velocity | 3.28 km / s |
| Physical Properties | |
| Albedo | 0.04 |
| Apparent brightness | 18.3 mag |
| Medium diameter | 36 km |
| Dimensions | 6.3 x 10 16 kg |
| Medium density | 2.6 g / cm 3 |
| Acceleration of gravity on the surface | 0.0013 m / s 2 |
| Escape speed | 21.6 m / s |
| discovery | |
| Explorer | |
| Date of discovery | July 6, 1938 |
Lysithea (also Jupiter X) is one of the smaller outer moons of the planet Jupiter .
discovery
Lysithea was discovered on July 6, 1938 by the astronomer Seth Barnes Nicholson at the Mount Wilson Observatory . The moon was named after Lysithea , a lover of Zeus from Greek mythology . Lysithea received its official name in 1975 , previously it was referred to as Jupiter X.
Orbit data
Lysithea orbits Jupiter at a mean distance of 11,717,000 km in 250 days and 4 hours and 48 minutes. The orbit has an eccentricity of about 0.11 and is inclined at 28.3 ° with respect to the local Laplace plane , which roughly coincides with the plane of the orbit of Jupiter.
Due to its orbital properties, it is assigned to the Himalia group , named after the Jupiter moon Himalia .
Physical data
Lysithea has a mean diameter of 36 km. Its density is relatively high at 2.6 g / cm³, which indicates that it is mainly composed of silicate rock. It has a very dark surface with an albedo of 0.04. Their apparent brightness is 18.3 m .
Web links
- Seth B. Nicholson: "Two new Satellites of Jupiter", in: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific , Vol. 50 (1938), No. 297, p. 292-293. (Discovery)
- IAUC 2846: Satellites of Jupiter October 7, 1975 (designation)
| before | Jupiter moons | after that |
| Sinope | Lysithea |
Carme |