Autonoe (moon) facts for kids

Autonoe (also known as Jupiter XXVIII) is one of the many moons that orbit the giant planet Jupiter. It was discovered in 2001 by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii. This team was led by Scott S. Sheppard. When it was first found, it was given the temporary name S/2001 J 1.

About Autonoe

Autonoe is a small moon, only about 4 kilometers across. It travels around Jupiter at an average distance of 24,264,000 kilometers. It takes Autonoe about 772 days to complete one full orbit around Jupiter.

Autonoe's Orbit

Autonoe's orbit is quite tilted compared to Jupiter's equator, by about 150 degrees. Its orbit is also not a perfect circle; it's a bit stretched out, which astronomers call an orbital eccentricity of 0.369.

The Pasiphaë Group

Autonoe is part of a family of moons called the Pasiphaë group. These moons are not perfectly round and orbit Jupiter in the opposite direction to Jupiter's spin (this is called a retrograde orbit). They are found at distances between 22,800,000 and 24,100,000 kilometers from Jupiter. Their orbits are also very tilted, ranging from 144.5 to 158.3 degrees.

How Autonoe Got Its Name

Autonoe was officially named in August 2003. Its name comes from Greek mythology. Autonoe was a figure in these ancient stories, sometimes said to be a conquest of Zeus (who is the Greek equivalent of the Roman god Jupiter). She was also believed by some writers to be the mother of the Charites, who were goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity, and fertility.

See also

In Spanish: Autónoe (satélite) para niños