Orbital period 792 days Orbits Jupiter | Discovered 25 November 2000 | |
Discoverers Yanga R. Fernández, Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt Similar Scott S Sheppard discoveries, Jupiter moons, Other celestial objects | ||
Megaclite (/mɛɡəˈklaɪtiː/ meg-ə-KLY-tee; Latin: Megaclītē; Greek: Μεγακλειτή), also known as Jupiter XIX, is a natural satellite of Jupiter. It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 J 8.
Megaclite is about 5.4 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 24.687 million kilometers in 792.437 days, at an inclination of 150° to the ecliptic (148° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.308.
It was named in October 2002 after Megaclite, mother by Zeus (Jupiter) of Thebe and Locrus in Greek mythology.
It belongs to the Pasiphae group, irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at distances ranging between 22.8 and 24.7 Gm, and with inclinations ranging between 144.5° and 158.3°.