There are 48 known moons of Jupiter. This gives Jupiter the largest number of moons with reasonably stable orbits of any planet in the Solar System. The most massive of the moons are the four Galilean moons, which were independently discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei and Simon Marius and were the first objects found to orbit a body that was neither Earth nor the Sun. From the end of the 19th century, dozens of much smaller Jovian moons have been discovered and have received the names of lovers or daughters of the Roman god Jupiter or his Greek equivalent Zeus.
Jovian Moons[]
# | Moon | Name | Diameter | Radius | Disovered | Discoverer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Europa | 4,323 | 1,561 km | January 8, 1610 | Galileo Galilei
Simon Marius | |
2 | Ganymede | 6,487 | 2,634 km | January 7, 1610 | Galileo Galilei | |
3 | Io | 4,399 | 1,822 km | January 8, 1610 | Galileo Galilei | |
4 | Callisto | 4,821 km | 2,410 km | January 7, 1610 | Galileo Galilei | |
5 | Herse | 2 km | 1 km | February 8, 2003 | Brett Gladman
John Kavelaars | |
6 | Megaclite | 5.4 km | 2.7 km | November 25, 2000 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Yanga Fernandez | |
7 | Kale | 2 km | 1 km | December 9, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
8 | Lysithea | 36 km | 18 km | July 6, 1938 | Seth Barnes Nicholson | |
9 | Adrastea | 16 km | 8 km | July 8, 1979 | David Jewitt | |
10 | Themisto | 8 km | 4 km | September 30, 1975 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Elizabeth Roemer Charles Kowal Yanga Fernandez | |
11 | Metis | 43 km | 22 km | March 4, 1979 | Stephen Synott | |
12 | Harpalyke | 4 km | 2.2 km | November 23, 2000 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Yanga Fernandez | |
13 | Amalthea | 167 km | 84 km | September 9, 1892 | Edward Emerson Bernanrd | |
14 | Eurydome | 3 km | 1.5 km | 2001 | Scott Sheppard | |
15 | Callirrhoe | 8.6 km | 4.3 km | October 6, 1999 | Timothy Spahr
James Scotti Tom Gehrels Robert McMillan | |
16 | Arche | 3 km | 1.5 km | 2002 | Scott Sheppard | |
17 | Chaldene | 3.8 km | 1.9 km | 2000 | Scott Sheppard | |
18 | Autonoe | 4 km | 2 km | December 10, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
19 | Eukelade | 4 km | 2 km | February 5, 2003 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna Yanga Fernandez | |
20 | Kallichore | 2 km | 1 km | February 6, 2003 | Scott Sheppard | |
21 | Himalia | 170 km | 85 km | December 3, 1904 | Charles Dillon Perrine | |
22 | Thebe | 99 km | 49 km | March 5, 1979 | Stephen Synott | |
23 | Elara | 86 km | 43 km | January 5, 1905 | Charles Dillon Perrine | |
24 | Ananke | 20 km | 14 km | September 28, 1951 | Seth Barnes Nicholson | |
25 | Carme | 46 km | 23 km | July 38, 1938 | Seth Barnes Nicholson | |
26 | Sinope | 28 km | 19 km | July 21, 1914 | Seth Barnes Nicholson | |
27 | Leda | 20 km | 10 km | September 11, 1974 | Charles Kowal | |
28 | Pasiphae | 58 km | 30 km | January 27, 1908 | Philibert Melotte | |
29 | Mneme | 2 km | 1 km | February 9, 2003 | Scott Sheppard | |
30 | Praxidike | 7 km | 3.4 km | November 23, 2000 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Yanga Fernandez | |
31 | Carpo | 3 km | 1.5 km | February 9, 2003 | Scott Sheppard | |
32 | Sponde | 2 km | 1 km | December 9, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
33 | Taygete | 5 km | 2.5 km | November 25, 2000 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Yanga Fernandez | |
34 | Hermippe | 4 km | 2 km | December 9, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
35 | Euanthe | 3 km | 1.5 km | December 11, 2001 | Scott Sheppard | |
36 | Cyllene | 2 km | 1 km | February 9, 2003 | Scott Sheppard | |
37 | Erinome | 3.2 km | 1.6 km | November 23, 2000 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Yanga Fernandez | |
38 | Atine | 3 km | 1.5 km | 2001 | Scott Sheppard | |
39 | Thyone | 4 km | 2 km | December 11, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
40 | Pasithee | 2 km | 1 km | December 11, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
41 | Euporie | 2 km | 1 km | 2001 | Scott Sheppard | |
42 | Isonoe | 3.8 km | 1.9 km | November 23, 2000 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Yanga Fernandez | |
43 | Hegemone | 3 km | 1.5 km | February 8, 2003 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna Yanga Fernandez | |
44 | Helike | 4 km | 2 km | February 6, 2003 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna Yanga Fernandez | |
45 | Aoede | 4 km | 2 km | February 8, 2003 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna Yanga Fernandez | |
46 | Orthosie | 2 km | 1 km | December 11, 2001 | David Jewitt
Scott Sheppard Jan Kleyna | |
47 | Thelxinoe | 2 km | 1 km | February 9, 2003 | Scott Sheppard
Brett Gladman | |
48 | Kore | 2 km | 1 km | February 8, 2003 | Scott Sheppard |