| Name |
Diameter(s) (km) |
Mean Distance From Planet (×103 km) |
Rotational Period (days) |
Orbital Period (days) |
Orbital Inclination |
Orbital Eccentricity |
Albedo (%) |
| Metis | 40 | 127.96 | 0.294780 | 0.294780 | 0° | ~0.041 | 5 |
| Adrastea | 26 × 20 × 16 | 128.98 | 0.29826 | 0.29826 | 0° | ~0 | 5 |
| Amalthea | 262 × 146 × 134 | 181.3 | 0.498179 | 0.498179 | 1.08° | 0.003 | 7 |
| Thebe | 110 × 90 | 221.90 | 0.6745 | 0.4° | 0.015 | 4 | |
| Io | 3,642.6 | 421.6 | 1.769138 | 1.769138 | 0.04° | 0.004 | 63 |
| Europa | 3,130 | 670.9 | 3.551181 | 3.551181 | 0.47° | 0.009 | 67 |
| Ganymede | 5,268 | 1,070 | 7.154553 | 7.154553 | 0.21° | 0.002 | 44 |
| Callisto | 4,806 | 1,883 | 16.689018 | 16.689018 | 0.51° | 0.007 | 20 |
| Leda | 10 | 11,094 | 238.72 | 26.07° | 0.148 | 7 | |
| Himalia | 170 | 11,480 | 0.4 | 250.5662 | 27.63° | 0.163 | 3 |
| Lysithea | 24 | 11,720 | 259.22 | 29.02° | 0.107 | 6 | |
| Elara | 80 | 11,737 | 0.5 | 259.6528 | 24.77° | 0.207 | 3 |
| Ananke | 20 | 21,200 | -631 | 147° | 0.169 | 6 | |
| Carme | 30 | 22,600 | -692 | 164° | 0.207 | 6 | |
| Pasiphae | 36 | 23,500 | -735 | 145° | 0.378 | 10 | |
| Sinope | 28 | 23,700 | -758 | 153° | 0.275 | 5 | |
| Un-named | 10 | 24,300 | -774 | 143° | 0.130 |
Name
Diameter
Mean Distance From Planet
Rotational and Orbital Periods
As seen from above the north pole of the Earth, most of the planets and satellites revolve in an anticlockwise direction. This is called Direct Rotation. Some satellites revolve in a clockwise sense. This is called Retrograde Rotation and is shown by the presence of a minus sign. Jupiter's outer satellites orbit in a retrograde sense. They are probably captured asteroids.
Orbital Inclination
Orbital Eccentricity
Albedo
Ice-covered Europa and volcanically sulphurous Io are very reflective.
The satellites of Jupiter have names associated with Jupiter, the king of the gods. For example, Leda and Ganymede are characters seduced by Jupiter.
Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are the Galilean Satellites, discovered by Galileo in 1610. These are amongst the largest satellites in the Solar System. Io, Ganymede and Callisto are larger than the Moon; Ganymede and Callisto are actually larger than the planet Mercury. The other twelve satellites are small irregularly shaped bodies.
The satellites of Jupiter orbit as four groups. The first group are the four small inner satellites. Of these, Metis and Adrastea orbit the planet faster than it rotates on its axis. The second group are the four large Galilean satellites. These are evenly spaced out. Further out is the third group of four orbiting at around 11 million kilometres. The fourth group of five orbit the planet at around 22 million kilometres.
Most of Jupiter's satellites rotate in the same period as they revolve around the planet. This is caused by the strong tidal forces exerted by the planet on the satellite. The outer satellites are less affected by tidal forces.
This is the angle of inclination of the satellite orbits compared to the planet's equatorial plane. Jupiter's inner satellites orbit close to the planet's equator. The middle satellites are inclined to Jupiter's equator by about 25°. The outer satellites have orbits that are inclined very steeply.
The orbits of Jupiter's inner satellites are nearly circular. The distant satellites orbit in more elliptical paths.
This is the percentage of sunlight that is reflected by the satellites. The smaller bodies are very dark.