Leda (moon)

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leda
Discovery
Discovered byCharles T. Kowal
Discovery dateSeptember 11, 1974[1]
Orbital characteristics
Mean orbit radius
11,160,000 km[2]
Eccentricity0.16[2]
240.92 d (0.654 a)[2]
3.4 km/s
Inclination27.46° (to the ecliptic)
29.01° (to Jupiter's equator)[2]
Satellite ofJupiter
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
10 km
~1250 km²
Volume~4200 km³
Mass1.1×1016 kg
Mean density
2.6 g/cm³ (assumed)
~0.0073 m/s2 (0.001 g)
~0.012 km/s
Albedo0.04 (assumed)
Temperature~124 K
20.2 [3]

Leda or Jupiter XIII, is a moon of Jupiter. Unlike many moons, it is not a sphere. Charles T. Kowal found it working at the Mount Palomar Observatory on September 14, 1974. He took photographs for three nights September 11 through 13. Leda is in all of the photographs.[1][4] The moon'S name come from Leda in Greek mythology. She was one of Zeus's lovers. Zeus is the Greek equivalent of Jupiter. Zeus came to Leda in the shape of a swan. Kowal suggested the name and the IAU supported it in 1975.[5]

Leda belongs to the Himalia group. They are five moons orbiting between 11,000,000 and 13,000,000 km from Jupiter at an inclination of about 27.5°.[2] The orbital elements given here are as of January 2000, but they are changing a lot because gravity effects from the sun and planets.

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Kowal, C. T.; Aksnes, K.; Marsden, B. G.; Roemer, E. (1974). "Thirteenth satellite of Jupiter". Astronomical Journal. 80: 460–464. doi:10.1086/111766.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Jacobson, R. A. (2000). "The orbits of outer Jovian satellites". Astronomical Journal. 120 (5): 2679–2686. Bibcode:2000AJ....120.2679J. doi:10.1086/316817. S2CID 120372170.
  3. "Leda Statistics". Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  4. IAUC 2702: Probable New Satellite of Jupiter 1974 September 20 (discovery)
  5. Marsden, B. G. (7 October 1974). "Satellites of Jupiter". IAUC Circular. 2846.

Other websites[change | change source]