Jovian Moons
Jupiter's four largest moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) are named the Galilean satellites, as they were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. But Jupiter has many more moons, some still to be confirmed.
The list of confirmed moons of Jupiter from NASA's Solar System Exploration page is as follows:
1. Io
2. Europa
3. Ganymede
4. Callisto
5. Amalthea
6. Himalia
7. Elara
8. Pasiphae
9. Sinope
10. Lysithea
11. Carme
12. Ananke
13. Leda
14. Thebe
15. Adrastea
16. Metis
17. Callirrhoe
18. Themisto
19. Megaclite
20. Taygete
21. Chaldene
22. Harpalyke
23. Kalyke
24. Iocaste
25. Erinome
26. Isonoe
27. Praxidike
28. Autonoe
29. Thyone
30. Hermippe
31. Aitne
32. Eurydome
33. Euanthe
34. Euporie
35. Orthosie
36. Sponde
37. Kale
38. Pasithee
39. Hegemone
40. Mneme
41. Aoede
42. Thelxinoe
43. Arche
44. Kallichore
45. Helike
46. Carpo
47. Eukelade
48. Cyllene
49. Kore
50. Herse
With provisional moons:
1. S/2003 J2
2. S/2003 J3
3. S/2003 J4
4. S/2003 J5
5. S/2003 J9
6. S/2003 J10
7. S/2003 J12
8. S/2003 J15
9. S/2003 J16
10. S/2003 J18
11. S/2003 J19
12. S/2003 J23
13. S/2010 J 1
14. S/2010 J 2
15. S/2011 J1
16. S/2011 J2
For a total of 66 moons (Wikipedia lists 67 moons).
Eight of the moons are regular satellites, while the remainder are irregular and are thought to be captured by Jupiter.
The regular satellites are comprised of the Galilean moons (or Main Group) as well as the Amalthea (or Inner group). Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea and Thebe make up the Amalthea group.
Selected moons have been visited by Pioneers 10 and 11 (1973,1974), Voyager 1 and 2 (which offered colour images) and the Galileo spacecrafts. Galileo made repeated orbits around Jupiter allowing flyovers of the Galilean moons as close as 261 km (162 miles).
All the confirmed moons of Jupiter are named for lovers and descendants of the Gods Zeus and Jupiter. Names of outer moons (outside the orbits of the Galilean and Amalthea groups) with prograde orbits generally end with the letter “a” (or “o” in special cases). Names of satellites with retrograde orbits end with an “e”. Non-confirmed Jovian satellite candidates remain un-named.
-CJ
Sources and Further Reading:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Display=Moons&Object=Jupiter
(This page has a link to a page for every moon!)
Nomenclature of Jovian Moons - http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Planets
Images and Credits
Top to bottom, left to right:
Metis NASA/JPL; Adrastea NASA/Cornell University; Amalthea NASA/JPL; Thebe NASA/JPL;
Io NASA/JPL; Europa NASA/JPL; Ganymede NASA/JPL; Leda Charles Kowal, Palomar Observatory;Himalia NASA; Callisto NASA/JPL
Jupiter's four largest moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) are named the Galilean satellites, as they were discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. But Jupiter has many more moons, some still to be confirmed.
The list of confirmed moons of Jupiter from NASA's Solar System Exploration page is as follows:
1. Io
2. Europa
3. Ganymede
4. Callisto
5. Amalthea
6. Himalia
7. Elara
8. Pasiphae
9. Sinope
10. Lysithea
11. Carme
12. Ananke
13. Leda
14. Thebe
15. Adrastea
16. Metis
17. Callirrhoe
18. Themisto
19. Megaclite
20. Taygete
21. Chaldene
22. Harpalyke
23. Kalyke
24. Iocaste
25. Erinome
26. Isonoe
27. Praxidike
28. Autonoe
29. Thyone
30. Hermippe
31. Aitne
32. Eurydome
33. Euanthe
34. Euporie
35. Orthosie
36. Sponde
37. Kale
38. Pasithee
39. Hegemone
40. Mneme
41. Aoede
42. Thelxinoe
43. Arche
44. Kallichore
45. Helike
46. Carpo
47. Eukelade
48. Cyllene
49. Kore
50. Herse
With provisional moons:
1. S/2003 J2
2. S/2003 J3
3. S/2003 J4
4. S/2003 J5
5. S/2003 J9
6. S/2003 J10
7. S/2003 J12
8. S/2003 J15
9. S/2003 J16
10. S/2003 J18
11. S/2003 J19
12. S/2003 J23
13. S/2010 J 1
14. S/2010 J 2
15. S/2011 J1
16. S/2011 J2
For a total of 66 moons (Wikipedia lists 67 moons).
Eight of the moons are regular satellites, while the remainder are irregular and are thought to be captured by Jupiter.
The regular satellites are comprised of the Galilean moons (or Main Group) as well as the Amalthea (or Inner group). Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea and Thebe make up the Amalthea group.
Selected moons have been visited by Pioneers 10 and 11 (1973,1974), Voyager 1 and 2 (which offered colour images) and the Galileo spacecrafts. Galileo made repeated orbits around Jupiter allowing flyovers of the Galilean moons as close as 261 km (162 miles).
All the confirmed moons of Jupiter are named for lovers and descendants of the Gods Zeus and Jupiter. Names of outer moons (outside the orbits of the Galilean and Amalthea groups) with prograde orbits generally end with the letter “a” (or “o” in special cases). Names of satellites with retrograde orbits end with an “e”. Non-confirmed Jovian satellite candidates remain un-named.
-CJ
Sources and Further Reading:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Display=Moons&Object=Jupiter
(This page has a link to a page for every moon!)
Nomenclature of Jovian Moons - http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Planets
Images and Credits
Top to bottom, left to right:
Metis NASA/JPL; Adrastea NASA/Cornell University; Amalthea NASA/JPL; Thebe NASA/JPL;
Io NASA/JPL; Europa NASA/JPL; Ganymede NASA/JPL; Leda Charles Kowal, Palomar Observatory;Himalia NASA; Callisto NASA/JPL
J
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