Metis

Jupiter XVI - 1979J3

Metis [MEE-tis] is the innermost known satellite of Jupiter. It was named after a Titaness who was a consort of Zeus (Jupiter). Metis and Adrastea lie within Jupiter's main ring and may be the source of material for the ring. Very little is known about Metis.

Metis Statistics

Discovered by ............................... Stephen Synnott
Date of discovery ...................................... 1979

Mass (kg) .......................................... 9.56e+16
Mass (Earth = 1) ................................. 1.5997e-08
Equatorial radius (km) ................................... 20
Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) .................... 3.1358e-03
Mean density (gm/cm^3) .................................. 2.8

Mean distance from Jupiter (km) ..................... 127,969
Rotational period (days) .................................. ?
Orbital period (days) .............................. 0.294779
Mean orbital velocity (km/sec) ........................ 31.57

Orbital eccentricity ................................. 0.0000
Orbital inclination .................................. 0.0000°

Escape velocity (km/sec) ............................. 0.0253

Visual geometric albedo ................................ 0.05
Magnitude (Vo) ......................................... 17.5

View of Metis

Metis (GIF, 41K)
This image of Metis (FDS 16373.37) was taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft on March 4, 1979. Metis is the small dark dot above the arrow. (Credit: Calvin J. Hamilton)

References

Synnott, S. P. "1979J3: Discovery of a Previously Unknown Satellite of Jupiter." Science, Vol 212, 19 June 1981.

Synnott, S. P. "Orbits of the Small Inner Satellites of Jupiter." Icarus 58, 1984.

Jupiter Adrastea

Author: Calvin J. Hamilton.