S/2003 J 2

Infobox Planet
name = S/2003 J 2
bgcolour = #ffc0c0
discovery = yes
discoverer = University of Hawaiokinai team led by Scott S. Sheppard and David C. Jewitt
discovered = March 4, 2003
eccentricity = 0.4074
period = 981.55 d (60.48 a)
inclination = 154° (to the ecliptic)
152° (to Jupiter's equator)
satellite_of = Jupiter

nowrap|S/2003 J 2 is a retrograde irregular satellite of Jupiter. The discovery, by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard and David C. Jewitt, was announced on March 4 2003 [ [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iauc/08000/08087.html IAUC 8087: "Satellites of Jupiter"] 2003 March 4 (discovery)] cite journal |last=Sheppard |first=Scott S. |authorlink= |coauthors=Jewitt, David C. |year=2003 |month= |title=An abundant population of small irregular satellites around Jupiter |journal=Nature |volume=423 |issue=6937 |pages=261–263 |doi=10.1038/nature01584 |url=http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~jewitt/papers/JSATS/SJ2003.pdf |accessdate= |quote= ] As of 2006, it is Jupiter's outermost known moon.

nowrap|S/2003 J 2 is about convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on|lk=off in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of convert|29.54|Gm|AU|abbr=off|lk=on in 980 days, at an inclination of 154° to the ecliptic (152° to Jupiter's equator) and with an eccentricity of 0.2255. [ [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/mpec/K03/K03E11.html MPEC 2003-E11: "S/2003 J 1, 2003 J 2, 2003 J 3, 2003 J 4, 2003 J 5, 2003 J 6, 2003 J 7"] 2003 March 4 (discovery and ephemeris)] Mean orbital elements from [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?sat_elem NASA JPL] (August 2006)] [Current (2004 July 14, JD= 2453200.5) orbital elements as reported by [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/NatSats/NaturalSatellites.html IAU-MPC NSES] are a= 0.2024818 AU, e=0.1882469 i=153.52114]

It seems to belong to a group all of its own, with semi-major axis ~convert|30|Gm|AU|abbr=off|lk=off and inclination ~160°.

The limits of Jupiter's gravitational influence are defined by its Hill sphere, whose radius is convert|52|Gm|AU|abbr=off|lk=off. Retrograde moons with axes up to 67% of Hill radius are believed to be stable. Consequently, it is possible that even more distant moons of Jupiter may be discovered.

References

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