Jupiter's Outer Moons

Farthest from Jupiter (outward of the Galilean moons) are the eight tiny moons:

Leda Ananke
Himalia Carme
Lysithea Pasiphae
Elara Sinope
Jupiter's eight outer moons fall into two groups: LedaĦA HimaliaĦA Lysithea and Elara at about 11 million km from Jupiter and AnankeĦA CarmeĦA Pasiphae and Sinope at about 23 million km.

Leda

Jupiter XIII

   Leda ("LEE duh") is the ninth of Jupiter's known satellites and the smallest: 
        orbit:    11ĦA094ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 16 km
        mass:     5.68e15 kg
   Leda was queen of Sparta and the motherĦA by Zeus in the form of a swanĦA of Pollux and Helen of Troy.

   Discovered by Kowal in 1974.

   LedaĦA AnankeĦA and Sinope are among the smallest moons in the solar system.

Himalia

Jupiter VI

   Himalia ("hih MAL yuh") is the tenth of Jupiter's known satellites: 
        orbit:    11ĦA480ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 186 km
        mass:     9.56e18 kg
   Himalia was a nymph who bore three sons of Zeus (Jupiter).

   Discovered by Perrine in 1904.

   Unlike the inner satellitesĦA the orbits of LedaĦA HimaliaĦA Lysithea and Elara are significantly inclined to Jupiter's equator (about 28 degrees).

Lysithea

Jupiter X

   Lysithea ("ly SITH ee uh") is the eleventh of Jupiter's known satellites: 
        orbit:    11ĦA720ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 36 km
        mass:     7.77e16 kg
   Lysithea was a daughter of Oceanus and one of Zeus' lovers.

   Discovered by Nicholson in 1938.

Elara

Jupiter VII

   Elara ("EE lar uh") is the twelfth of Jupiter's known satellites: 
        orbit:    11ĦA737ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 76 km
        mass:     7.77e17 kg
   Elara was the mother by Zeus of the giant Tityus.

   Discovered by Perrine in 1905.

   LedaĦA HimaliaĦA Lysithea and Elara may be remnants of a single asteroid that was captured by Jupiter and broken up.

Ananke

Jupiter XII

   Ananke ("a NANG kee") is the thirteenth of Jupiter's known satellites: 
        orbit:    21ĦA200ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 30 km
        mass:     3.82e16 kg
   Ananke was the mother of AdrasteaĦA by Jupiter.

   Discovered by Nicholson in 1951.

   AnankeĦA CarmeĦA Pasiphae and Sinope have unusual but similar orbits.

Carme

Jupiter XI

   Carme ("KAR mee") is the fourteenth of Jupiter's known satellites: 
        orbit:    22ĦA600ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 40 km
        mass:     9.56e16 kg
   Carme was the motherĦA by Zeus of BritomartisĦA a Cretan goddess.

   Discovered by Nicholson in 1938.

   AnankeĦA CarmeĦA Pasiphae and Sinope are especially unusual in that their orbits are retrograde.

Pasiphae

Jupiter VIII

   Pasiphae ("pah SIF ah ee") is the fifteenth of Jupiter's known satellites: 
        orbit:    23ĦA500ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 50 km
        mass:     1.91e17 kg
   Pasiphae was the wife of Minos and motherĦA by a white bullĦA of the Minotaur.

   Discovered by P. Melotte in 1908.

   AnankeĦA CarmeĦA Pasiphae and Sinope have orbits highly inclined to Jupiter's equator (about 150 degrees).

Sinope

Jupiter IX

   Sinope ("sah NOH pee") is the outermost of Jupiter's known confirmed satellites: 
        orbit:    23ĦA700ĦA000 km from Jupiter
        diameter: 36 km
        mass:     7.77e16 kg
   Sinope was a woman said to have been unsuccessfully (!) courted by Zeus.

   Discovered by Nicholson in 1914.

   AnankeĦA CarmeĦA Pasiphae and Sinope may be remnants of a single asteroid that was captured by Jupiter and broken up.

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Bill Arnett; last updated: 1996 April 22