Cyllene (moon)

Cyllene
Discovery
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard et al.
Discovery date2003
Designations
Designation
Jupiter XLVIII
Pronunciation/səˈln/
Named after
Κυλλήνη Kyllēnē
S/2003 J 13
AdjectivesCyllenean /sɪləˈnən/
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 2026-01-01
Observation arc16 years
2018-04-18 (last obs)
Periapsis13.9 million km
Apoapsis33.83 million km
23.9 million km
Eccentricity0.416
−754.4 days
Inclination144.5°
Satellite ofJupiter
GroupPasiphae group
Physical characteristics
2 km
Spectral type
B–V = 0.73 ± 0.07
V–R = 0.46 ± 0.07
23.2
16.34 (28 obs)

Cyllene /səˈln/, also known as Jupiter XLVIII, is an irregular satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaiʻi led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2003, receiving the temporary designation S/2003 J 13. It gets as far as 33.8 million km from Jupiter.

Cyllene is about 2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 23.9 million km in 754 days (2.0 years), at an inclination of 145° to the ecliptic, in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.416. The orbital elements are continuously changing due to solar and planetary perturbations. In October 2014 the moon reached 0.253 AU (37.8 million km; 23.5 million mi) from Jupiter, and in October 2015 approached within 0.0616 AU (9.22 million km; 5.73 million mi) of Jupiter.

It was named in March 2005 after Cyllene, a naiad (stream nymph) or oread (mountain nymph) associated with Mount Cyllene, Greece. She was a daughter of Zeus (Jupiter).

It belongs to the Pasiphae group, irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at distances ranging between 22.8 and 24.1 million km, and with inclinations ranging between 144.5° and 158.3°.