Pasiphaë group

The Pasiphaë group is made up of moons of Jupiter which share similar orbits. Their semi-major axes range between 22.8 and 24.1 Gm (the same range as the Carme group), their inclinations between 144.5° and 158.3°, and their eccentricities between 0.25 and 0.43.

The thirteen members of the group are (in order of increasing distance from Jupiter):

  • Eurydome
  • S/2003 J 23
  • Hegemone
  • Pasiphaë, the largest, which gives its name to the group
  • Sponde
  • Cyllene
  • Megaclite
  • S/2003 J 4
  • Callirrhoe
  • Sinope, two-thirds the size of Pasiphaë
  • Autonoe
  • Aoede
  • S/2003 J 14

Unlike the other two retrograde group (those of Ananke and Carme), this one is very dispersed in inclination. It could be an ancient group, which "relaxed" as the aeons went by.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) reserves names ending in -e for all retrograde moons, including this group's members.




Jupiter's natural satellites

Inner satellites | Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto | Themisto | Himalia group | Carpo | S/2003 J 12 | Ananke group | Carme group | Pasiphaë group | S/2003 J 2

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