This table gives characteristics of the known satellites of the planets. Column definitions for the table are as follows.
Column heading | Definition |
Planet | Name of planet about which satellites orbit |
No. | Satellite number |
Satellite | Satellite name |
Orb. period | Orbital period, in units of Earth days, an R following the value indicates a retrograde motion |
Distance | Distance from the planet, in 103 km, as measured by the semimajor axis of the orbit |
Eccentricity | Eccentricity of the orbit |
Inclination | Inclination of the satellite orbit with respect to the equator of the planet |
Mass | Mass of the satellite, in kg |
Radius | Radius of the satellite, in km |
Albedo | Geometric albedo, which is a measure of the fraction of incident sunlight reflected by the satellite |
It should be noted that at least 79 satellites of Jupiter have been discovered, but not all have been verified. Included here are data on the first 49 of Jupiter's satellites. Because this is a very active field of research, the Internet sites listed below should be consulted for the most recent data.
Planet | No. | Satellite | Orb. period/ Earth days | Distance/ 103 km | Eccentricity | Inclination | Mass/ kg | Radius/ km | Albedo |
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Earth | Moon | 27.321661 | 384.400 | 0.054900489 | 18.28–28.58° | 7.3483·1022 | 1737.5 | 0.12 | |
Mars | I | Phobos | 0.31891023 | 9.378 | 0.0151 | 1.0° | 1.06·1016 | 13.5×10.8×9.4 | 0.07 |
Mars | II | Deimos | 1.2624407 | 23.460 | 0.0005 | 0.9–2.7° | 2.4·1015 | 7.5×6.1×5.5 | 0.07 |
Jupiter | I | Io | 1.769137786 | 421.8 | 0.0041 | 0.04° | 8.932·1022 | 1821.6 | 0.63 |
Jupiter | II | Europa | 3.551181041 | 671.1 | 0.0101 | 0.47° | 4.8·1022 | 1560.8 | 0.67 |
Jupiter | III | Ganymede | 7.15455296 | 1070.4 | 0.0015 | 0.21° | 1.4819·1023 | 2631.2 | 0.43 |
Jupiter | IV | Callisto | 16.6890184 | 1882.7 | 0.007 | 0.51° | 1.0759·1023 | 2410.3 | 0.17 |
Jupiter | V | Amalthea | 0.49817905 | 181.4 | 0.003 | 0.40° | 7.17·1018 | 131×73×67 | 0.09 |
Jupiter | VI | Himalia | 250.5662 | 11460 | 0.162 | 27.63° | 9.56·1018 | 85 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | VII | Elara | 259.6528 | 11737 | 0.217 | 24.77° | 7.77·1017 | 40 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | VIII | Pasiphae | 743.63 R | 23620 | 0.409 | 145° | 1.91·1017 | 18 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | IX | Sinope | 758.90 R | 23940 | 0.250 | 153° | 7.77·1016 | 14 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | X | Lysithea | 259.20 | 11720 | 0.112 | 29.02° | 7.77·1016 | 12 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | XI | Carme | 734.17 R | 23400 | 0.253 | 164° | 9.56·1016 | 15 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | XII | Ananke | 629.77 R | 21280 | 0.244 | 147° | 3.82·1016 | 10 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | XIII | Leda | 240.92 | 11170 | 0.164 | 26.07° | 5.68·1015 | 5 | 0.04 |
Jupiter | XIV | Thebe | 0.6745 | 221.9 | 0.018 | 0.8° | 7.77·1017 | 55×45 | 0.05 |
Jupiter | XV | Adrastea | 0.29826 | 129 | 0.0015 | 1.91·1016 | 13×10×8 | 0.10 | |
Jupiter | XVI | Metis | 0.29478 | 128 | 0.0002 | 9.56·1016 | 20 | 0.06 |
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