Jupiter’s satellites, a big family of moons

Almost all the planets in the universe have satellites, but there are some of them that have a very high number of satellites compared to others. For example, the Earth has only one satellite, which is the Moon, but the gaseous planets like Jupiter or Saturn, have a lot more of them. Jupiter’s satellites are the most numerous of the solar system.

Jupiter is the biggest and the most voluminous of the solar system, and, between other reasons, this is the reason for which Jupiter is the planet that has the most satellites of the solar system. As he is so big, it attracts a big quantity of asteroids or rock pieces, which, as the time passes, they compress or fuse until the point of forming a new moon.

Their observation

Jupiter’s satellites have been observed and classified during many time. The first person of observing them was Galileo Galilei in the XVIIth century, concretely the 7th January 1610. He did it thanks to a small telescope that he constructed. Galileo observed the planets during some days and he realized that they orbited around the planet.

Galileo could only observe, due to the reason that the technology wasn’t much developed in that epoch, 4 satellites, of a total of 79 that have been observed until nowadays.

The Galilean satellites

The 4 satellites that Galileo observed are the Galilean satellites. The Galilean satellites are: Io, Europe, Ganymede and Callisto. Even if in the beginning Galileo didn’t want to put them these names, when the XXth century arrived these were the names that were used to name these satellites.

The Galilean satellites are the biggest of Jupiter, and it is for this reason that they could be observed by Galileo at his epoch.

All Jupiter satellites

Jupiter has a total of 79 natural satellites. The different Jupiter’s satellites are classified in different forms:

1 – Jupiter has 4 interior satellites:

NameDiameter (km)Discovery
Metis431979
Adrastea16,41979
Amaltea1671892
Tebe98,61979

2 – Jupiter, as I said, has 4 Galilean satellites, that Galileo discovered:

NameDiametrer (km)Discovery
lo36431610
Europa31221610
Ganímedes52621610
Calisto48211610

3 – Jupiter has also satellites called irregulars, that make a total of 10:

NameDiameter (km)Discovery
Temisto81975
Leda201974
Himalia1701904
Ersa22018
Pandia22017
Lisitea361938
Elara861905
Dia42000
Carpo32003
Valetudo12016

4 – The last satellite type, which it assembles a total of 61, are the retrograde satellites:

NameDiameter (km)Discovery
S/2003 J 1212003
Euporia22001
Eufeme22003
S/2003 J 1822003
S/2010 J 212010
Telxínoe22003
Euante32001
Heliké42003
Ortosia22001
S/2017 J 722017
S/2016 J 132016
S/2017 J 322017
Yocasta52000
S/2003 J 1622003
Praxídice72000
Harpálice42000
Mnemea22003
Hermipé42001
Tione42001
S/2017 J 922017
Ananqué281951
Herse22003
Aitné32001
S/2017 J 622017
S/2011 J 112011
Calé22001
Táigete52000
S/2003 J 1922003
Caldona42000
Filofrósine22003
S/2003 J 1022003
S/2003 J 2322003
Erínome32000
Aedea42003
Kallichore22003
S/2017 J 522017
S/2017 J 812017
Cálice52000
Carmé461938
Calírroe91999
Eurídome32001
S/2017 J 222017
Pasítea22001
S/2010 J 112010
Kore22003
Cilene22003
S/2011 J 212011
Eukélade42003
S/2017 J 122017
S/2003 J 422003
Pasífae601908
Hegémone32003
Arce32002
Isonoé42000
S/2003 J 912003
Eirene42003
Sinope381914
Espondé22001
Autónoe42001
Megaclite52000
S/2003 J 222003

All these satellites orbit around the gaseous planet with very different orbital periods, and the most part of them have a very small size, but whichever are their characteristics, if they orbit the planet, they are considered Jupiter’s satellites.


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