Megaclite | |
Adjective: | Megaclitean |
Named After: | Μεγακλειτή Megaclītē |
Mpc Name: | Jupiter XIX |
Alt Names: | S/2000 J 8 |
Discovery Ref: |   |
Discoverer: | Scott S. Sheppard David C. Jewitt Yanga R. Fernandez Eugene A. Magnier |
Discovered: | 25 November 2000 |
Orbit Ref: |   |
Epoch: | 27 April 2019 (JD 2458600.5) |
Observation Arc: | 16.26 yr (5,938 days) |
Eccentricity: | 0.4102170 |
Period: | –747.09 d |
Mean Motion: | / day |
Inclination: | 143.20224° (to ecliptic) |
Asc Node: | 356.52408° |
Arg Peri: | 8.71854° |
Mean Diameter: | ≈ 6 km |
Albedo: | 0.04 (assumed) |
Magnitude: | 21.7 |
Abs Magnitude: | 15.0 |
Megaclite, also known as , 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 .[1] [2] [3]
Megaclite is about 6 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 24,687,000 kilometers in 747.09 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 in Greek mythology.[4] [5]
It belongs to the Pasiphae group, irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at distances ranging between 22.8 and 24.7 Gm, and with inclinations ranging between 144.5° and 158.3°. However, while Pasiphae is gray (B−V=0.74, V−R=0.38, V−I=0.74) in color, Megaclite is light red (B−V=0.94, V−R=0.41, V−I=1.05) and come similar to Callirrhoe.[6]