Dia | |
Pronounced: | [1] |
Named After: | Δῖα Dīa |
Adjective: | Dian |
Discoverer: | Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernández, and Eugene A. Magnier |
Discovered: | 5 December 2000 11 September 2012 (rediscovery) |
Discovery Site: | Mauna Kea Obs. |
Mpc Name: | Jupiter LIII |
Alt Names: | S/2000 J 11 |
Orbit Ref: |  [2] |
Inclination: | 28.23° |
Eccentricity: | 0.211 |
Arg Peri: | 178.0° |
Asc Node: | 290.9° |
Mean Anomaly: | 169.9° |
Period: | +287.0 days |
Satellite Of: | Jupiter |
Group: | Himalia group |
Magnitude: | 22.4 |
Mean Diameter: | 4 km |
Dia, also known as Jupiter LIII, is a prograde irregular satellite of Jupiter. Provisionally known as S/2000 J 11, it received its name on March 7, 2015.[3] It is named after Dia, daughter of Deioneus (or Eioneus), wife of Ixion. According to Homer, she was seduced by Zeus in stallion form; Pirithous was the issue.
The satellite is one of several known small bodies in the Himalia group.[4]
Dia is thought to be about 4 kilometres in diameter.[5] It orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 12 million km in 274 days, at an inclination of 28° (to Jupiter's equator), and with an eccentricity of 0.21.
Dia was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2000 with an observation arc of 26 days.[6] [7]
Initial observations were not followed up, and Dia was not observed for more than a decade after 2000. This apparent disappearance led some astronomers to consider the moon lost.[8] One theory was that it had crashed into Himalia, creating a faint ring around Jupiter.[9] However, it was finally recovered in observations made in 2010 and 2011.[10]