Megaclite (moon)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Megaclite (meg'-ə-klye'-tee, IPA: /ˌmɛgəˈklaɪti/; Latin Megaclītē, from Greek Μεγακλειτη), or Jupiter XIX, is a natural satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 J 8.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Megaclite is about 5.4 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 24.687 million kilometers in 792.437 days, at an inclination of 150° to the ecliptic (148° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.308.

It was named in October 2002 after Megaclite, mother by Zeus (Jupiter) of Thebe and Locrus (although both of these are assigned a different mother by other authors).^[4]^[5]

It belongs to the Pasiphaë group, irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at distances ranging between 22.8 and 24.1 Gm, and with inclinations ranging between 144.5° and 158.3°.

References

^ IAUC 7555: Satellites of Jupiter 2001 January 5 (discovery)
^ MPEC 2001-A29: S/2000 J 7, S/2000 J 8, S/2000 J 9, S/2000 J 10, S/2000 J 11 2001 January 15 (discovery and ephemeris)
^ MPEC 2001-T59: S/2000 J 8, S/2000 J 9, S/2000 J 10 2001 October 15 (revised ephemeris)
^ IAUC 7998: Satellites of Jupiter 2002 October 22 (naming the moon "Magaclite")
^ IAUC 8023: Satellites of Jupiter 2002 November 29 (correcting the name)

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