Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Scott S. Sheppard et al. |
Discovery date | 2003 |
Designations | |
Designation | Jupiter XLV |
Pronunciation | /ˈhɛləkiː/[1][2] |
Named after | Ἑλίκη Helicē |
S/2003 J 6 | |
Adjectives | Helikean /hɛləˈkiːən/[3] |
Orbital characteristics [4] | |
21263000 km | |
Eccentricity | 0.156 |
−634.8 days | |
36.2° | |
Inclination | 154.8° |
100.3° | |
314.7° | |
Satellite of | Jupiter |
Group | Ananke group |
Physical characteristics | |
4 km | |
22.6 | |
Helike /ˈhɛləkiː/, also known as Jupiter XLV, is a moon of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2003, and given the temporary designation S/2003 J 6.[5][6][7]
Helike is about 4 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 20.54 million kilometres in 601.402 days, at an inclination of 155° to the ecliptic (156° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.1375. Its average orbital speed is 2.48 km/s.
It was named in March 2005 after Helike, one of the nymphs that nurtured Zeus (Jupiter) in his infancy on Crete.[8]
Helike belongs to the Ananke group.