S/2021 J 6

S/2021 J 6
Discovery[1]
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard
David J. Tholen
Chad Trujillo
Discovery siteMauna Kea Obs.
Discovery date5 September 2021
Orbital characteristics[1][2]
Epoch 25 February 2023 (JD 2460000.5)
Observation arc12.04 yr (4,396 d)
Earliest precovery date2 October 2010
0.1566013 AU (23,427,220 km)
Eccentricity0.3625334
–2.01 yr (–732.55 days)
77.36574°
0° 29m 29.162s / day
Inclination166.49991° (to ecliptic)
172.60903°
254.84930°
Satellite ofJupiter
GroupCarme group
Physical characteristics
1 km[3]
23.9[3]
17.3[1]

S/2021 J 6 is a small outer natural satellite of Jupiter discovered by Scott S. Sheppard, David J. Tholen, and Chad Trujillo on 5 September 2021, using the 8.2-meter Subaru Telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii. It was announced by the Minor Planet Center on 20 January 2023, after observations were collected over a long enough time span to confirm the satellite's orbit.[1] The satellite has been found in precovery observations as early as 2 October 2010.[1]

S/2021 J 6 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 0.2–0.3, and inclinations between 163–166°.[3] It has a diameter of about 1 km (0.62 mi) for an absolute magnitude of 17.3, making it one of Jupiter's smallest known moons.[3]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2023-B50 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference jplsats-disc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference SheppardMoons was invoked but never defined (see the help page).