Sponde facts for kids
Discovery images of Sponde by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in December 2001
|
|
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Scott S. Sheppard et al. |
| Discovery site | Mauna Kea Obs. |
| Discovery date | 9 December 2001 |
| Designations | |
| MPC designation | Jupiter XXXVI |
| Pronunciation | /ˈspɒndiː/ |
|
Named after
|
Σπονδή Spondē |
| S/2001 J 5 | |
| Adjectives | Spondean /ˌspɒnˈdiːən/ |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 23487000 km | |
| Eccentricity | 0.312 |
| −734.89 days | |
| Inclination | 151.0° |
| Satellite of | Jupiter |
| Physical characteristics | |
|
Mean diameter
|
2 km |
| 23.0 | |
| 16.7 | |
Sponde (pronounced "SPON-dee"), also known as Jupiter XXXVI, is one of the many natural satellites (moons) that orbit the giant planet Jupiter. It was found by a team of astronomers in 2001. This team was from the University of Hawaii and led by Scott S. Sheppard. When it was first discovered, it was given the temporary name S/2001 J 5.
About Sponde
Sponde is a very small moon. It is only about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) wide. This makes it one of Jupiter's tiniest moons.
Sponde's Orbit Around Jupiter
Sponde travels around Jupiter quite far away. Its average distance from Jupiter is about 24,253,000 kilometers (about 15 million miles). It takes Sponde a long time to complete one trip around Jupiter. It takes about 735 Earth days, which is a little over two years.
Sponde's orbit is also quite tilted. It is tilted about 154 degrees compared to the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the path the Sun appears to take across the sky. This moon also moves in a retrograde direction. This means it orbits Jupiter in the opposite direction to most of Jupiter's other moons. Its path is also not a perfect circle; it's a bit stretched out, which astronomers call having an eccentricity of 0.443.
How Sponde Got Its Name
Sponde was officially named in August 2003. It is named after one of the Horae (pronounced "HO-rye"). In ancient Greek stories, the Horae were goddesses of time. Sponde was specifically linked to the seventh hour of the day. This was the time when people would pour special drinks called libations after lunch.
The Horae were believed to be the daughters of Zeus (who the Romans called Jupiter) and Themis. This is why many of Jupiter's moons are named after characters connected to Zeus in Greek mythology.
Sponde's Moon Family
Sponde belongs to a group of moons called the Pasiphae group. This group includes several other irregular moons that orbit Jupiter. They are called "irregular" because their orbits are not smooth and circular like the main moons.
Moons in the Pasiphae group all orbit Jupiter in a retrograde direction. They are also found at similar distances from Jupiter. Their distances range between 22.8 million and 24.1 million kilometers. Their orbits are also tilted in similar ways, between 144.5 and 158.3 degrees.
