Helike (moon)

Helike
Images of Helike by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in February 2003
Discovery
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard et al.
Discovery date2003
Designations
Designation
Jupiter XLV
Pronunciation/ˈhɛlək/[1][2]
Named after
Ἑλίκη Helicē
S/2003 J 6
AdjectivesHelikean /hɛləˈkən/[3]
Orbital characteristics[4]
21263000 km
Eccentricity0.156
−634.8 days
36.2°
Inclination154.8°
100.3°
314.7°
Satellite ofJupiter
GroupAnanke group
Physical characteristics
4 km
22.6

Helike /ˈhɛlək/, 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.

  1. ^ "Helice". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. ^ as 'Helice' in Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
  3. ^ Hutchinson (1980) "Base Metal Sulfides", The Continental Crust and Its Mineral Deposits: The Proceedings of a Symposium Held in Honour of J. Tuzo Wilson, Held at Toronto, May 1979, p. 679
  4. ^ S.S. Sheppard (2019), Moons of Jupiter, Carnegie Science, on line
  5. ^ Daniel W. E. Green (March 4, 2003). "IAUC 8087: Satellites of Jupiter". International Astronomical Union.
  6. ^ Brian G. Marsden (March 4, 2003). "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". International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center.
  7. ^ Brian G. Marsden (March 7, 2003). "MPEC 2003-E29 : S/2003 J 9, 2003 J 10, 2003 J 11, 2003 J 12; S/2003 J 1, 2003 J 6". International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center.
  8. ^ Daniel W. E. Green (March 30, 2005). "IAUC 8502: Satellites of Jupiter". International Astronomical Union.