Cyllene (moon)

Cyllene ( /sɨˈliːniː/ sə-lee-nee; Greek: Κυλλήνη), also known as Jupiter XLVIII, 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 2003, receiving the temporary designation S/2003 J 13.^[1][2]

Cyllene is about 2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 23,396 Mm in 731.099 days, at an inclination of 140° to the ecliptic (140° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.4116.

It was named in March 2005 after Cyllene, a naiad (stream nymph) or oread (mountain nymph) associated with Mount Kyllini, Greece.^[3] She was a daughter of Zeus (Jupiter).

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 8116: Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn 2003 April (discovery)
2. ^ MPEC 2003-G09: S/2003 J 13 2003 April (discovery and ephemeris)
3. ^ IAUC 8502: Satellites of Jupiter 2005 March (naming the moon)