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Space Topics: Jupiter Jupiter's Moons
Jupiter has the largest retinue of moons of any planet in the solar system: 63, at current count. First among these are the Galilean satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, all of which are larger than Pluto. Ganymede is even larger than Mercury and is the largest moon in the solar system. Among all other moons in the solar system, only Titan, Triton, and Earth’s Moon are comparable in size to these four. Oddly, Jupiter does not have the cluster of medium-sized moons that Saturn and Uranus possess. The next largest Jovian moon below Europa is Himalia, a rock only 6 percent Europa’s diameter. The Galileans travel in near-circular orbits; three of them are locked in an orbital resonance (Io travels around Jupiter 4 times for every 2 times Europa makes the trip and every single time Ganymede does). Closer to Jupiter, four small moons also travel in near-circular orbits. Outside Callisto are several distinct groups of small moons in more eccentric and inclined orbits. None of these outer moons has ever been imaged by spacecraft. Inner Small Moons
Metis
44 kilometers diameter
128,100 kilometers from Jupiter Adrastea
16 kilometers diameter
128,900 kilometers from Jupiter Amalthea
168 kilometers diameter
181,400 kilometers from Jupiter Thebe
98 kilometers diameter
221,900 kilometers from Jupiter
Galilean Satellites
Io
3,643 kilometers diameter
421,800 kilometers from Jupiter Europa
3,122 kilometers diameter
671,100 kilometers from Jupiter Ganymede
5,262 kilometers diameter
1,070,400 kilometers from Jupiter Callisto
4,821 kilometers diameter
1,882,700 kilometers from Jupiter Prograde Irregular SatellitesThemisto (S/2000 J1): 9 kilometers diameter; 7,507,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Leda: 18 kilometers diameter; 11,165,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Himalia: 184 kilometers diameter; 11,461,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Lysithea: 38 kilometers diameter; 11,717,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Elara: 78 kilometers diameter; 11,741,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2000 J11: 4 kilometers diameter; 12,555,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Carpo (S/2003 J20): 3 kilometers diameter; 16,989,000 kilometers from Jupiter Outer Retrograde Irregular SatellitesS/2003 J3: 2 kilometers diameter, 18,339,885 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J12: 1 kilometers diameter, 19,002,480 kilometers from Jupiter
Euporie (S/2001 J10): 2 kilometers diameter, 19,302,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J18: 2 kilometers diameter, 20,700,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Orthosie (S/2001 J9): 2 kilometers diameter, 20,721,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Euanthe (S/2001 J7): 3 kilometers diameter, 20,799,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Thyone (S/2001 J2): 4 kilometers diameter, 20,940,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J16: 2 kilometers diameter, 21,000,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Mneme (S/2003 J21): 2 kilometers diameter, 21,069,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Harpalyke (S/2000 J5): 4 kilometers diameter, 21,105,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Hermippe (S/2001 J3): 4 kilometers diameter, 21,131,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Praxidike (S/2000 J7): 7 kilometers diameter, 21,147,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Thelxinoe (S/2003 J22): 2 kilometers diameter, 21,162,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Helike (S/2003 J6): 4 kilometers diameter, 21,263,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Iocaste (S/2000 J3): 5 kilometers diameter, 21,269,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Ananke: 28 kilometers diameter, 21,276,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J15: 2 kilometers diameter, 22,000,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J17: 2 kilometers diameter, 22,000,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J9: 1 kilometers diameter, 22,441,680 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J19: 2 kilometers diameter, 22,800,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Eurydome (S/2001 J4): 3 kilometers diameter, 22,865,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Arche (S/2002 J1): 3 kilometers diameter, 22,931,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Autonoe (S/2001 J1): 4 kilometers diameter, 23,039,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Pasithee (S/2001 J6): 2 kilometers diameter, 23,096,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Chaldene (S/2000 J10): 4 kilometers diameter, 23,179,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Kale (S/2001 J8): 2 kilometers diameter, 23,217,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Isonoe (S/2000 J6): 4 kilometers diameter, 23,217,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Aitne (S/2001 J11): 3 kilometers diameter, 23,231,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J4: 2 kilometers diameter, 23,257,920 kilometers from Jupiter
Erinome (S/2000 J4): 3 kilometers diameter, 23,279,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Taygete (S/2000 J9): 5 kilometers diameter, 23,360,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Carme: 46 kilometers diameter, 23,404,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Sponde (S/2001 J5): 2 kilometers diameter, 23,487,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Kalyke (S/2000 J2): 5 kilometers diameter, 23,583,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Pasiphae: 58 kilometers diameter, 23,624,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Eukelade (S/2003 J1): 4 kilometers diameter, 23,661,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Megaclite (S/2000 J8): 6 kilometers diameter, 23,806,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Sinope: 38 kilometers diameter, 23,939,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Hegemone (S/2003 J8): 3 kilometers diameter, 23,947,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Aoede (S/2003 J7): 4 kilometers diameter, 23,981,000 kilometers from Jupiter
Kallichore (S/2003 J11): 2 kilometers diameter, 24,043,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J23: 2 kilometers diameter, 24,055,500 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J5: 4 kilometers diameter, 24,084,180 kilometers from Jupiter
Callirrhoe (S/1999 J1): 7 kilometers diameter, 24,102,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J10: 2 kilometers diameter, 24,249,600 kilometers from Jupiter
Cyllene (S/2003 J13): 2 kilometers diameter, 24,349,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J14: 2 kilometers diameter, 25,000,000 kilometers from Jupiter
S/2003 J2: 2 kilometers diameter, 28,570,410 kilometers from Jupiter Check these sites for the most up-to-date facts on Jupiter’s small satellites.
Scott Sheppard's Jupiter Satellite Page
NASA's Solar System Dynamics pages: Satellite Properties and Satellite Elements |
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Metis
Adrastea
Amalthea
Thebe
Io
Europa
Ganymede
Callisto