S/2011 J 3

S/2011 J 3

Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Scott S. Sheppard
Discovery site	Las Campanas Obs.
Discovery date	27 September 2011
Orbital characteristics[1][2]
Epoch 9 August 2022 (JD 2459800.5)
Observation arc	10.98 yr (4,009 d)
Semi-major axis	0.0788592 AU (11,797,170 km)
Eccentricity	0.1757518
Orbital period (sidereal)	+261.77 days
Mean anomaly	215.57916°
Mean motion	1° 22^m 30.884^s / day
Inclination	28.65923° (to ecliptic)
Longitude of ascending node	97.75374°
Argument of perihelion	222.10770°
Satellite of	Jupiter
Group	Himalia group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	≈3 km[3]
Albedo	0.04 (assumed)[3]
Apparent magnitude	23.1[3]
Absolute magnitude (H)	16.3[1]

S/2011 J 3 is a small outer natural satellite of Jupiter discovered by Scott S. Sheppard on 27 September 2011, using the 6.5-meter Magellan-Baade Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile. It was announced by the Minor Planet Center 11 years later on 20 December 2022, after observations were collected over a long enough time span to confirm the satellite's orbit.[1]

S/2011 J 3 is part of the Himalia group, a tight cluster of prograde irregular moons of Jupiter that follow similar orbits to Himalia at semi-major axes between 11–12 million km (6.8–7.5 million mi) and inclinations between 26–31°.[3] With an estimated diameter of 3 km (1.9 mi) for an absolute magnitude of 16.3, it is among the smallest known members of the Himalia group.[3]

References

1. "MPEC 2022-Y69 : S/2011 J 3". Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. Minor Planet Center. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
2. "Planetary Satellite Discovery Circumstances". JPL Solar System Dynamics. NASA. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
3. Sheppard, Scott S. "Moons of Jupiter". Earth & Planets Laboratory. Carnegie Institution for Science. Retrieved 20 December 2022.