S/2003 J 12
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Discovery
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| Discovered by | Scott S. Sheppard et al. |
| Discovery date | 2003 |
| Mean orbit radius | 17.883 million km[1] |
| Eccentricity | 0.4920 |
| Orbital period | 489.72 days |
| Inclination | 143° |
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Physical characteristics
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| Mean radius | ~0.5 km |
S/2003 J 12 is a natural satellite of Jupiter, and is the smallest known satellite in our solar system. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2003.[2][3]
S/2003 J 12 is about 1 kilometre in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 17,883 Mm in 489.72 days, at an inclination of 143° to the ecliptic (143° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.4920.[1]
It is the innermost of the outer irregular retrograde satellites of Jupiter, and does not seem to belong to any group.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Jacobson, R.A. (2006) JUP263 (2007-Jun-28). Planetary Satellite Mean Orbital Parameters. JPL/NASA. Retrieved on 2008-01-21.
- ^ IAUC 8089: Satellites of Jupiter 2003 March 7 (discovery)
- ^ MPEC 2003-E29: S/2003 J 9, 2003 J 10, 2003 J 11, 2003 J 12; S/2003 J 1, 2003 J 6 2003 April 3 (discovery and ephemeris)
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