Metis
Jupiter XVI - 1979J3


 

Metis [MEE-tis] is the innermost known satellite of Jupiter. It was named after a Titaness who was a consort of Zeus (Jupiter). Metis and Adrastea lie within Jupiter's main ring and may be the source of material for the ring. Very little is known about Metis.

Metis Statistics
 Discovered byStephen Synnott 
 Date of discovery1979 
 Mass (kg)9.56e+16 
 Mass (Earth = 1)1.5997e-08 
 Equatorial radius (km)20 
 Equatorial radius (Earth = 1)3.1358e-03 
 Mean density (gm/cm^3)2.8 
 Mean distance from Jupiter (km)127,969 
 Rotational period (days)
 Orbital period (days)0.294779 
 Mean orbital velocity (km/sec)31.57 
 Orbital eccentricity0.0000 
 Orbital inclination (degrees)0.0000 
 Escape velocity (km/sec)0.0253 
 Visual geometric albedo0.05 
 Magnitude (Vo)17.5 

Views of Metis

Metis
This image of Metis was taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on March 4, 1979. Metis is the small dark dot above the arrow. (Credit: Calvin J. Hamilton)

References

Synnott, S. P. "1979J3: Discovery of a Previously Unknown Satellite of Jupiter." Science, Vol 212, 19 June 1981.

Synnott, S. P. "Orbits of the Small Inner Satellites of Jupiter." Icarus 58, 1984.

 

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Copyright © 1997 by Calvin J. Hamilton. All rights reserved.