Herse (moon)
Herse /ˈhɜːrsiː/, or Jupiter L, previously known by its provisional designation of S/2003 J 17, is a natural satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered on 8 February 2003 by the astronomers Brett J. Gladman, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, and Lynne Allen and also by a team of astronomers at the University of Hawaii. It was named after Herse 'dew', by some accounts a daughter of Zeus and Selene the moon in Greek mythology, on 11 November 2009. Ersa (Jupiter LXXI) is also named for the same mythological figure.
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Brett J. Gladman John J. Kavelaars Jean-Marc Petit Lynne Allen |
| Discovery date | 2003 |
| Designations | |
Designation | Jupiter L |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɜːrsiː/ |
Named after | Ἕρση Hersē |
Alternative names | S/2003 J 17 |
| Adjectives | Hersean /hɜːrˈsiːən/ |
| Orbital characteristics | |
Semi-major axis | 23097000 km |
| Eccentricity | 0.200 |
Orbital period (sidereal) | −715.4 days |
Mean anomaly | 41.90° |
| Inclination | 164.2° |
Longitude of ascending node | 329.0° |
| 355.7° | |
| Satellite of | Jupiter |
| Group | Carme group |
| Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | 2 km |
| 23.4 | |
Herse is about 2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 22,134,000 km in 672.752 days, at a mean inclination of 165° to the ecliptic, in a retrograde direction and with a mean eccentricity of 0.2493.
It is a member of 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°.