Valletudo is one of the smallest external moons of Jupiter .
| Valetudo | |
|---|---|
| Jupiter's satellite | |
 | |
| Discovery story | |
| Discoverer | S. Sheppard |
| opening date | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Semimajor axis | 18 980 000 km |
| Eccentricity | 0.222 |
| Circulation period | 533.3 days |
| Orbital inclination | 34.0 ° |
| physical characteristics | |
| Diameter | ≈ 1 km |
| Atmosphere | missing |
Discovery History
The satellite was discovered by Scott Sheppard in a photograph taken on March 9, 2016 at the Las Campanas Observatory . The discovery was announced on July 17, 2018, and he received the provisional designation S / 2016 J 2. In the very first publications, the authors of the discovery used the name “Valetudo” for him, given in honor of the ancient Roman goddess of health and hygiene, the great-granddaughter of Jupiter. On September 25, the IAC recognized the discovery and assigned the satellite the LXII number [2] . On October 3, 2018, the name Valletudo was officially approved [3] .
Orbit
Valletudo makes a complete revolution around Jupiter at an average distance of 18.98 million km in 533.3 days. The orbit has an eccentricity of 0.222.
Physical Characteristics
Valletudo's diameter is about 1 km. It is assumed that external satellites are composed mainly of silicate rocks, so its density can be estimated at 2.6 g / cm³.
Notes
- ↑ https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K18/K18O09.html
- ↑ International Astronomical Union . MPC 111804 Center for Minor Planets (September 25, 2018). Date of treatment October 4, 2018.
- ↑ Name Approved for Jovian Satellite: Valetudo . USGS Astrogeology Science Center . astrogeology.usgs.gov (October 3, 2018). Date of treatment October 4, 2018.
Links
- MPEC 2018-O09: S / 2016 J 2 (July 17, 2018). Date of treatment October 4, 2018.