Kalyke (moon) Sunday, June 21, 2009

Kalyke (pronounced /ˈkælɨki/ KAL-ə-kee, or as in Greek Καλύκη), also known as Jupiter XXIII, 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, et al. in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 J 2.[1][2]

Kalyke is about 5.2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 23,181 Mm in 721.021 days, at an inclination of 166° to the ecliptic (165° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.2140.

It was named in October 2002 after the Greek mythological figure Kalyke or Calyce.[3].

It belongs to the Carme group, made up of irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at a distance ranging between 23 and 24 Gm and at an inclination of about 165°.

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