Eukelade , also known as , is a
retrograde irregular satellite of
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the
University of Hawaii
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
led by
Scott S. Sheppard in 2003, and received the temporary designation .
Eukelade is about 4 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 23,484,000 km in 693.02 days, at an
inclination of 164° to the
ecliptic
The ecliptic or ecliptic plane is the orbital plane of Earth's orbit, Earth around the Sun. It was a central concept in a number of ancient sciences, providing the framework for key measurements in astronomy, astrology and calendar-making.
Fr ...
(165° to Jupiter's equator), in a
retrograde direction and with an
eccentricity
Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to:
* Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal"
Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics
* Off-Centre (geometry), center, in geometry
* Eccentricity (g ...
of 0.2829.
It was named in March 2005 after
Eucelade - according to
John Tzetzes, listed by some (unnamed) Greek writers as one of the
Muse
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
s.
[* Marta Cardin, Olga Tribulato: ''Enumerating the Muses: Tzetzes in Hes. Op. 1 and the Parody of Catalogic Poetry in Epicharmus.'' In: Marco Ercoles, Lara Pagani, Filippomaria Pontani, Giuseppe Ucciardello: ''Approaches to Greek Poetry: Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, and Aeschylus in Ancient Exegesis'' (= ''Trends in Classics.'' Supplementary Volumes 73). De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2019, p. 161–192; here p. 171.]
Eukelade 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°.
References
Carme group
Moons of Jupiter
Irregular satellites
Discoveries by Scott S. Sheppard
Astronomical objects discovered in 2003
Moons with a retrograde orbit
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