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Encyclopedia > Numbers about the solar system IX

Orbital elements of satellites: JUPITER

The planet Jupiter has rings and three families of satellites, orbiting around it (80 satellites of which 72 numbered on December 3, 2022):

  • the rings were discovered by the space probe Voyager in 1979 and are observable from Earth only in the infrared wavelengths.
  • the inner satellites : these satellites are orbiting inside the orbit of Io, the first galilean satellite and outside the main ring. Because of the closeness of the planet, they are very difficult to observe. Infrared observations are necessary in order to decrease the contrast brightness between the planet and the satellites
  • the Galilean satellites : these satellites are bright, similar to inner planets, and easily observable even in a small telescope. They could be seen with the naked eyes if the bright planet Jupiter was not so close to them. Their observations are easy to make and they present phenomena due to the closeness and the size of the planet Jupiter.
  • the outer irregular satellites: these satellites are orbiting outside the orbit of Callisto, the farthest galilean satellite. They are very faint due to their small sizes and their orbits are neither circular, nor in the equatorial plane of Jupiter as the inner and the galilean satellites. They are observable as asteroids, independently of the planet Jupiter far from them. Only their faintness is a difficulty for their observation. These satellites are distributed into two families: the direct orbits and the retrograde orbits (direct = inclination < 90°; retrograde = inclination > 90°).

The tables below provide the main characteristics of these satellites including orbital parameters. These data may change either because new data are more precise, or because some parameters are evoluting year after year. The year of the discovery is provided by the provisional name of the satellite. For some satellites, specific descriptive pages are available.

The rings


Rings and inner satellites:     Distance to the centre of Jupiter     Width Thickness Albedo
Halo 92 000 km 30 500 km 20 000 km 0.05
main ring 122 500 km 52 060 km moins de 30 km 0.05
satellite Metis (J-16) 128 000 km - - -
Gossamer inner 128 940 km 52 060 km  ?  0.05
satellite Adrastea (J-15) 129 000 km - - -
Gossamer outer 181 000 km 40 000 km  ?  0.05
satellite Amalthea (J-5) 181 000 km - - -
 

The inner satellites


     Metis - J 16     Adrastea - J 15     Amalthea - J 5     Thebe - J 14    
semi-major axis in km 127 979 128 980 181 200 221 895
period of revolution 7h 4.5m 7h 9.5m 11h 57.4m 16h 11.3m
eccentricity <0.005 <0.005 0.003 0.015
inclination on the equator of Jupiter <0.1 ° <0.3 ° 0.4 ° 0.8°
size in km 40 26 x 20 x 16 262 x 146 x 134 55 x 55 x 45
magnitude at opposition 17.5 18.9 14.1 15.7
maximal apparent distance to Jupiter at opposition 41.8 arcsec 42.3 arcsec 59.4 arcsec 72.8 arcsec
 

The Galilean satellites


     Io - J 1     Europa - J 2     Ganymede - J 3     Callisto - J 4    
semi-major axis in km 422 000 671 000 1 070 000 1 883 000
period of revolution 1.769 138 d 3.551 181 d 7.154 553 d 16.689 018 d
eccentricity 0.004 0.009 0.002 0.007
inclination on the equator of Jupiter 0.02 to 0.04 ° 0.42 to 0.51 ° 0.06 to 0.30 ° 0.15 to 0.74°
size in km 3637 3130 5268 4806
magnitude at opposition 5.02 5.29 4.61 5.65
maximal apparent distance to Jupiter at opposition 2 min 27 arcsec 3 min 54 arcsec 6 min 13 arcsec 10 min 56 arcsec
 

The outer irregular satellites


The outer irregular satellites are distributed into two families:


The "Himalia" family: direct revolution


satellites:     a in km     P in days     eccentricity     inclination     d in km     mv     ap    
S/2000 J1 - Themisto - J 18
7 450 000
130.4
0.13 to 0.28
44 to 46°
8
21
0.72°
S/1974 J1 - Leda - J 13
11 150 000
240.5
0.12 to 0.21
26 to 29°
10
20
1.08°
S/2018 J1 - J 71
11 398 485
248.6
0.08 to 0.15
29 to 31°
3
22.7
1.08°
Himalia - J 6
11 443 000
250.1
0.11 to 0.21
28 to 31°
170
14.8
1.08°
S/2017 J4 - J 65
11 479 646
251.2
0.13 to 0.23
26 to 29°
3
23
1.08°
Lysithea - J 10
11 700 000
258.5
0.08 to 0.15
26 to 29°
24
18.4
1.13°
Elara - J 7
11 716 000
259.1
0.15 to 0.27
28 to 31°
80
16.8
1.13°
S/2000 J11 - Dia -J 53
12 623 008
288.5
0.17 to 0.30
26 to 29°
4
22.4
1.22°
S/2003 J20 - Carpo - J 46
17 056 041
455.1
0.21 to 0.66
46 to 59°
3.4
22.7
1.60°
S/2016 J2 - Valetudo - J 62
18 691 438
521.7
0.11 to 0.33
31 to 36°
2
23.8
1.68°
 
    a=semi-major axis, P= period of revolution (mean value calculated from 1970 to 2050)
    d=diameter; mv= visual magnitude at opposition; ap= apparent semi major axis at opposition
    inclination on ecliptic for all outer satellites
    variation of eccentricity and inclination in the interval 1970 to 2050
    note that S/2000 J1 = S/1975 J1
 

The "Pasiphae" family: retrograde revolution


satellites:     a in km     P in days     eccentricity     inclination     d in km     mv     ap    
S/2003 J12
18 951 537
533.0
0.31 to 0.69
139 to 156°
1.3
23.8
1.82°
S/2001 J10 - Euporie - J 34
19 509 118
555.2
0.07 to 0.22
144 to 148°
2.5
23.0
1.89°
S/2003 J3 - J 60
19 907 960
574.2
0.10 to 0.40
144 to 149°
1
23.6
1.90°
S/2000 J10 - Chaldene - J 21
20 299 459
591.7
0.14 to 0.39
161 to 167°
3.8
22.3
1.96°
S/2003 J16
20 434 426
596.8
0.09 to 0.44
142 to 153°
1.5
23.0
1.98°
S/2003 J21- Mneme - J 40
20 500 279
599.7
0.07 to 0.43
142 to 153°
2.5
23.1
1.99°
S/2003 J6 - Helike - J 45 20 540 266 601.4 0.06 to 0.28 153 to 158° 1.2 23.5 1.99°
S/2000 J3 - Iocaste - J 24
20 642 860
606.3
0.07 to 0.41
145 to 151°
5.2
21.8
2.00°
S/2003 J18 - J 55
20 682 998
607.7
0.02 to 0.23
142 to 149°
2.0
23.0
2.00°
S/2001 J2 - Thyone - J 29
20 769 899
610.0
0.12 to 0.44
143 to 151°
3
22.1
2.01°
S/2010 J2 - J 52
20 789 301
612.1
0.09 to 0.43
143 to 153°
1
23.9
2.01°
S/2016 J1 - J 54
20 800 844
612.6
0.06 to 0.48
139 to 150°
1
24.0
2.01°
S/2001 J9 - Orthosie - J 35
20 849 889
613.6
0.09 to 0.55
139 to 149°
2
23.1
2.02°
S/2000 J5 - Harpalyke - J 22
20 917 717
617.3
0.08 to 0.44
145 to 151°
4.3
22.2
2.02°
S/2017 J3 - J 64
20 934 623
618.6
0.08 to 0.43
144 to 151°
2
23.4
2.02°
S/2017 J7 - J 68
20 959 440
619.5
0.07 to 0.43
143 to 150°
2
23.5
2.02°
S/2001 J7 - Euanthe - J33
20 983 136
620.9
0.09 to 0.44
142 to 152°
2.5
23.3
2.03°
S/2000 J7 - Praxidike - J 27
21 098 102
624.6
0.08 to 0.42
143 to 150°
6.8
21.2
2.04°
Ananke - J 12
21 048 000
624.1
0.08 to 0.45
143 to 152°
20
18.9
2.04°
S/2001 J3 - Hermippe - J 30
21 047 986
624.6
0.08 to 0.39
148 to 152°
4
21.8
2.04°
S/2003 J22 - Telxinoe - J 42 21 316 679 635.8 0.10 to 0.40 146 to 155° 2 22.7 2.08°
S/2000 J9 - Taygete - J 20
21 671 854
650.1
0.12 to 0.40
161 to 166°
5
21.9
2.10°
S/2017 J9 - J 70
21 767 811
655.9
0.07 to 0.34
152 to 157°
3
22.7
2.12°
 S/2000 J4 - Erinome - J 25
21 867 753
661.1
0.13 to 0.42
160 to 167°
3.2
22.4
2.12°
S/2003 J15 - J 58
22 011 816
667.2
0.05 to 0.41
141 to 149°
1.4
23.3
2.13°
S/2001 J11 - Aitne - J 31
22 274 405
679.3
0.14 to 0.42
161 to 167°
3
23.2
2.15°
S/2001 J8 - Kale - J 37
22 300 644
679.4
0.13 to 0.40
162 to 168°
2
22.5
2.16°
S/2003 J11 - Kallichore - J 44
22 335 351
681.9
0.14 to 0.38
162 to 168°
1
23.4
2.16°
S/2003 J9
22 381 517
684.0
0.14 to 0.41
161 to 167°
1.3
23.6
2.16°
S/2003 J17 - Herse - J 50
22 510 605
690.0
0.13 to 0.40
161 to 167°
2.0
23.0
2.17°
S/2001 J5 - Sponde - J 36
22 548 244
690.3
0.13 to 0.56
143 to 155°
2
23.0
2.18°
S/2003 J19
22 745 922
700.8
0.14 to 0.41
162 to 168°
1.5
23.5
2.20°
S/2000 J6 - Isonoe - J 26
22 804 699
704.9
0.12 to 0.38
162 to 168°
3.8
22.5
2.21°
S/2017 J8 - J 69
22 840 828
704.3
0.13 to 0.40
162 to 167°
1
23.9
2.22°
S/2011 J2 - J 56
22 905 382
707.4
0.17 to 0.58
144 to 157°
1
23.6
2.22°
S/2017 J2 - J 63
22 952 866
709.4
0.14 to 0.42
161 to 168°
2
23.4
2.22°
S/2003 J5 - J 57
23 050 793
714.0
0.13 to 0.41
161 to 167°
3.5
22.0
2.23°
S/2011 J1 - J 72
23 124 970
717.2
0.14 to 0.41
161 to 168°
2
23.7
2.23°
S/2010 J1 - J 51
23 185 242
720.3
0.12 to 0.40
161 to 167°
2
23.3
2.23°
S/2017 J5 - J 66
23 204 215
721.6
0.14 to 0.41
161 to 167°
2
23.4
2.24°
S/2017 J6 - J 67
23 243 189
722.8
0.15 to 0.56
143 to 155°
2
23.5
2.24°
S/2003 J19 - J 61
23 264 326
724.4
0.14 to 0.41
162 to 168°
2
23.7
2.24°
Carme - J 11
23 280 000
726.3
0.13 to 0.42
162 to 167°
30
18.0
2.24°
S/2000 J2 - Kalyke - J 23
23 302 374
725.8
0.13 to 0.40
162 to 168°
5
21.5
2.24°
S/2003 J8 - Hegemone - J 39
23 339 942
727.6
0.18 to 0.57
145 to 158°
3
22.5
2.24°
S/2000 J8 - Megaclite - J 19
23 439 084
734.1
0.19 to 0.66
141 to 155°
5.4
21.5
2.27°
S/2003 J1 - Eukelade - J 47 23 485 280 735.3 0.16 to 0.42 161 to 167° 2.5 23.1 2.27°
S/2003 J13 - Cyllene - J 48
23 544 835
737.8
0.18 to 0.67
137 to 154°
2.5
23.0
2.28°
Pasiphae - J 8
23 658 000
744.2
0.18 to 0.67
140 to 156°
36
17.0
2.29°
S/2003 J4
23 719 630
745.3
0.15 to 0.63
140 to 154°
2
22.7
2.29°
S/2017 J1 - J 59
23 740 060
746.5
0.10 to 0.59
139 to 151°
2
23.8
2.29°
S/2003 J7 - Aoede - J 41
23 776 774
747.8
0.25 to 0.63
146 to 161°
1.3
23.6
2.29°
S/2002 J1 - Arche - J 43
23 765 118
748.7
0.14 to 0.41
161 to 168°
3.5
23.0
2.30°
S/2001 J6 - Pasithee - J 38
23 780 137
748.8
0.14 to 0.41
160 to 167°
1.8
23.2
2.30°
S/1999 J1 - Callirhoe - J 17
23 788 645
748.7
0.09 to 0.59
138 to 152°
8
20.5
2.30°
S/2001 J4 - Eurydone - J 32
23 830 940
752.4
0.10 to 0.50
142 to 153°
2.5
22.6
2.31°
Sinope - J 9
23 848 000
753.2
0.11 to 0.42
152 to 161°
28
18.3
2.31°
S/2003 J23 23 991 011 759.1 0.08 to 0.56 137 to 152° 1.3 23.6 2.32°
S/2003 J10
24 184 590
768.4
0.28 to 0.59
159 to 168°
1.8
23.6
2.33°
S/2001 J1 - Autonoe - J 28
24 413 086
778.0
0.12 to 0.55
144 to 155°
4
22.0
2.36°
S/2003 J14 - Kore - J 49
24 974 033
807.2
0.07 to 0.66
134 to 149°
1.7
23.3
2.40°
S/2003 J2
28 072 075
957.4
0.16 to 0.67
145 to 162°
2
23.2
2.71°
 
    a=semi-major axis, P= period of revolution (mean value calculated from 1970 to 2050)
    d=diameter; mv= visual magnitude at opposition; ap= apparent semi major axis at opposition
    inclination on ecliptic for all outer satellites
    variation of eccentricity and inclination in the interval 1970 to 2050