Cyllene (moon)

Cyllene /səˈliːniː/, also known as Jupiter XLVIII, is a natural satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2003, receiving the temporary designation S/2003 J 13.^[6][7]

Cyllene

Discovery
Discovered by	Scott S. Sheppard et al.
Discovery date	2003
Designations
Designation	Jupiter XLVIII
Pronunciation	/səˈliːniː/[1]
Named after	Κυλλήνη Kyllēnē
Alternative names	S/2003 J 13
Adjectives	Cyllenean /sɪləˈniːən/[a]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Semi-major axis	24349000 km
Eccentricity	0.319
Orbital period (sidereal)	−737.8 days
Inclination	149.3°
Satellite of	Jupiter
Group	Pasiphae group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	2 km
Spectral type	B–V = 0.73 ± 0.07, V–R = 0.46 ± 0.07[5]
Apparent magnitude	23.2

Cyllene is about 2 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of (23.4 million km) 23,396,000 km in 731.099 days (2.00 earth years), at an inclination of 140.149° to the ecliptic (139.543° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.4116.

It was named in March 2005 after Cyllene, a naiad (stream nymph) or oread (mountain nymph) associated with Mount Cyllene, Greece.^[8] 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 Gm, and with inclinations ranging between 144.5° and 158.3°.

Notes

1. The adjective 'Cyllenean' is also used for Mercury,^[2] though rarely, as for that referent the form is normally 'Cyllenian' /səˈliːniən/.^[3]