Herse (moon)

Herse
Discovery
Discovered byBrett J. Gladman
John J. Kavelaars
Jean-Marc Petit
Lynne Allen
Discovery date2003
Designations
Designation
Jupiter L
Pronunciation/ˈhɜːrs/
Named after
Ἕρση Hersē
S/2003 J 17
AdjectivesHersean /hɜːrˈsən/
Orbital characteristics[1]
23097000 km
Eccentricity0.200
−715.4 days
41.90°
Inclination164.2°
329.0°
355.7°
Satellite ofJupiter
GroupCarme group
Physical characteristics
2 km
23.4

Herse /ˈhɜːrs/, or Jupiter L, previously known by its provisional designation of S/2003 J 17, is a natural satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered on 8 February 2003 by the astronomers Brett J. Gladman, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, and Lynne Allen and also by a team of astronomers at the University of Hawaii.[2][3] It was named after Herse 'dew', by some accounts a daughter of Zeus and Selene the moon in Greek mythology,[4] on 11 November 2009.[5][6] Ersa (Jupiter LXXI) is also named for the same mythological figure.

Herse is about 2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 22,134,000 km in 672.752 days, at a mean inclination of 165° to the ecliptic, in a retrograde direction and with a mean eccentricity of 0.2493.[7]

It is a member of the Carme group, made up of irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at a distance ranging between 23 and 24 Gm and at an inclination of about 165°.

  1. ^ S.S. Sheppard (2019), Moons of Jupiter, Carnegie Science, on line
  2. ^ Daniel W. E. Green, IAUC 8116: Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn 2003 April 11 (discovery)
  3. ^ Brian G. Marsden, MPEC 2003-G19: S/2003 J 17 2003 April 3 (discovery and ephemeris)
  4. ^ Keightley, p. 55; Hard, p. 46; Alcman, Fragment 57.
  5. ^ Jennifer S. Blue, L Named Herse Archived 2013-05-12 at the Wayback Machine, 2009 November 9
  6. ^ Jennifer S. Blue, IAUC 9094: Satellite of Jupiter (subscription required) 2009 November 11 (naming)
  7. ^ Planetary Satellite Mean Orbital Parameters, JPL