S/2022 J 2

S/2022 J 2
Discovery[1]
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard
Discovery siteLas Campanas Obs.
Discovery date15 October 2022
Orbital characteristics[2][3]
Epoch 31 March 2024 (JD 2460400.5)
Observation arc1.05 yr (384 d)
0.1591710 AU (23,811,640 km)
Eccentricity0.1773868
–2.06 yr (–750.65 days)
97.80253°
0° 28m 46.495s / day
Inclination165.29213° (to ecliptic)
154.53141°
145.16811°
Satellite ofJupiter
GroupCarme group
Physical characteristics
≈1 km[4]
Albedo0.04 (assumed)[4]
24.0 (average)[4]
17.5[2]

S/2022 J 2 is a small outer natural satellite of Jupiter discovered by Scott S. Sheppard on 15 October 2022 using the 6.5-meter Magellan-Baade Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile. It was announced by the Minor Planet Center on 22 February 2023, after observations were collected over a long enough time span to confirm the satellite's orbit.[1]

S/2022 J 2 is part of the Carme group, a tight cluster of retrograde irregular moons of Jupiter that follow similar orbits to Carme at semi-major axes between 22–24 million km (14–15 million mi), orbital eccentricities between 0.2 and 0.3, and inclinations between 163 and 166°.[4] With a diameter of about 1 km (0.62 mi) for an absolute magnitude of 17.5, it is one of Jupiter's smallest known moons with confirmed orbits.[4]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2023-D45 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2024-D117 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference jplsats-disc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference SheppardMoons was invoked but never defined (see the help page).