Pasif ( dr. Greek Πασιφάη ) - satellite of Jupiter . It was discovered on January 27, 1908 by the British astronomer Philibert Jacques Melotte at the Royal Greenwich Observatory . The original designation is 1908 CJ or VIII . It got its name in 1975 by the name of Pasiphai - the wife of the Cretan king Minos , the mother of the Minotaur [2] .
| Pasif | |
|---|---|
| Jupiter's satellite | |
 | |
| Discovery story | |
| Discoverer | Philibert Jacques Melotte |
| opening date | January 27, 1908 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Era | J2000 [1] |
| Semimajor axis | 22,582,000 km (average radius) |
| Eccentricity | 0.41 |
| Circulation period | 708.04 days |
| physical characteristics | |
| Diameter | 58 km |
| Weight | ~ 3.0⋅10 17 kg |
| Density | ~ 2.6 g / cm³ |
| Acceleration of gravity | ~ 0,022 m / s² |
| Rotation period around the axis | unknown |
| Albedo | 0.04 |
| Atmosphere | no |
The orbit of Pacife has a very large eccentricity , and is also strongly inclined to the planes of the ecliptic and rotation of Jupiter. The satellite moves in the opposite direction - that is, in the opposite direction of rotation of Jupiter. Belongs to the Pasif group - a group of satellites having orbits with close parameters. In size, it is the largest satellite in the opposite direction and one of the largest irregular satellites.
Notes
- ↑ Jacobson, Outer Jovian Satellites (Inaccessible link - history ) .
- ↑ Planetary Names: Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers