Megaclite (moon)

Megaclite ( /ˌmɛɡəˈklaɪtiː/ meg-ə-kly-tee; Latin: Megaclītē; Greek: Μεγακλειτη), also known as 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

1. ^ IAUC 7555: Satellites of Jupiter 2001 January 5 (discovery)
2. ^ 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)
3. ^ MPEC 2001-T59: S/2000 J 8, S/2000 J 9, S/2000 J 10 2001 October 15 (revised ephemeris)
4. ^ IAUC 7998: Satellites of Jupiter 2002 October 22 (naming the moon "Magaclite")
5. ^ IAUC 8023: Satellites of Jupiter 2002 November 29 (correcting the name)