Helike (moon)

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Helike (hel'-ə-kee, IPA: /ˈhɛlɨki/; Greek Ἑλίκη), or Jupiter XLV, is a moon of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2003, and given the temporary designation S/2003 J 6.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Helike is about 4 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 20,540 Mm in 601.402 days, at an inclination of 155° to the ecliptic (156° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.1375.

It was named in March 2005 after Helike, one of the nymphs that nurtured Zeus (Jupiter) in his infancy on Crete.^[4]

Helike belongs to the Ananke group, retrograde irregular moons which orbit Jupiter between 19.3 and 22.7 Gm, at inclinations of roughly 150°.

References

^ IAUC 8087: Satellites of Jupiter 2003 March 4 (discovery)
^ MPEC 2003-E11: S/2003 J 1, 2003 J 2, 2003 J 3, 2003 J 4, 2003 J 5, 2003 J 6, 2003 J 7 2003 March 4 (discovery and ephemeris)
^ MPEC 2003-E29: S/2003 J 9, 2003 J 10, 2003 J 11, 2003 J 12; S/2003 J 1, 2003 J 6 2003 April 3 (revised ephemeris)
^ IAUC 8502: Satellites of Jupiter 2005 March 30 (naming the moon)

v • d • e

Moons of Jupiter

Listed in increasing distance from Jupiter. Temporary names in italics.

Inner moons

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

core	Ananke · Praxidike · Harpalyke · Iocaste · Euanthe · Thyone
peripheral	Euporie · S/2003 J 3 · S/2003 J 18 · Thelxinoe · Helike · Orthosie · S/2003 J 16 · Hermippe · Mneme · S/2003 J 15

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