Harpalyke (moon) Sunday, June 21, 2009

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Harpalyke (pronounced /hɑrˈpælɨki/ har-PAL-ə-kee, or as in Greek Ἁρπαλύκη), also known as Jupiter XXII, is a retrograde irregular satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 J 5.[1][2] In August 2003,the moon was named after Harpalyke,[3] the incestuous daughter of Klymenos, who was in some accounts a lover of Zeus (Jupiter).

Harpalyke belongs to the Ananke group, believed to be the remnants of a break-up of a captured heliocentric asteroid.[4][5] It is about 4 kilometres in diameter[6] and appears grey (color index R-V=0.43), similar to C-type asteroids.[7] The satellite orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 21,064 Mm in 624.542 days, at an inclination of 147° to the ecliptic (147° to Jupiter's equator) with an eccentricity of 0.2441.

See also

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