S/2003 J 3 facts for kids

S/2003 J 3 is a small moon that goes around Jupiter. It was found in 2003 by a group of scientists from the University of Hawaii. This team was led by Scott S. Sheppard.

About S/2003 J 3

S/2003 J 3 is quite small, only about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) wide. It travels around Jupiter very far away, at an average distance of 19,622,000 kilometers (about 12.2 million miles). It takes a long time to complete one trip around Jupiter, about 561.5 days.

The moon's path around Jupiter is tilted. This tilt, called its inclination, is about 146 degrees compared to Jupiter's middle line (equator). Its orbit is also not a perfect circle; it's a bit stretched out, which is called its orbital eccentricity.

Ananke Group

S/2003 J 3 is part of a family of moons called the Ananke group. These moons are special because they orbit Jupiter "backwards" compared to Jupiter's spin. This is called a retrograde orbit. They are also not round like Earth's Moon; they have irregular shapes.

Moons in the Ananke group orbit Jupiter at distances between 19,300,000 and 22,700,000 kilometers. Their orbits are usually tilted by about 150 degrees.