Halimede (moon)

Halimede /hælɪˈmiːdiː/, or Neptune IX, is a retrograde irregular satellite of Neptune. It was discovered by Matthew J. Holman, John J. Kavelaars, Tommy Grav, Wesley C. Fraser and Dan Milisavljevic on August 14, 2002.[7]

Halimede
Discovery image of Halimede
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered by
Discovery dateAugust 14, 2002
Designations
Designation
Neptune IX
Pronunciation/hælɪˈmiːdiː/[3]
Named after
Ἁλιμήδη Halimēdē
S/2002 N 1
AdjectivesHalimedean /ˌhælɪmɪˈdiːən/
Orbital characteristics[4]
Epoch June 10, 2003
16.611 Gm
Eccentricity0.2646
1879.08 d
(5.14 a)
Inclination134.1°
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
62 km[5]
Albedo0.04 (assumed)[5]
Spectral type
neutral (grey)
B-V=0.73 R-V=0.35[6]
    Irregular satellites of Neptune.

    Name

    Halimede, like many of the outer satellites of Neptune, is named after one of the Nereids, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. Before the announcement of its name on February 3, 2007 (IAUC 8802), Halimede was known by the provisional designation S/2002 N 1.

    Orbit

    Halimede has the second most eccentric and third most inclined orbit around Neptune.[8] This is illustrated on the diagram in relation to other irregular satellites of Neptune. The satellites above the horizontal axis are prograde, the satellites beneath it are retrograde. The yellow segments extend from the pericentre to the apocentre, showing the eccentricity.

    Physical characteristics

    Halimede is about 62 kilometers in diameter (assuming an albedo of 0.04)[5] and appears neutral (grey) in the visible light. Given the very similar colour of the satellite to that of Nereid together with the high probability (41%[7]) of collision in the past lifespan of the Solar System, it has been suggested that the satellite could be a fragment of Nereid.[6]

    References
    1. JPL (2011-07-21). "Planetary Satellite Discovery Circumstances". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
    2. Green, Daniel W. E. (January 13, 2003). "Satellites of Neptune". IAU Circular. 8047. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
    3. Noah Webster (1884) A Practical Dictionary of the English Language
    4. Jacobson, R. A. (2008). "NEP078 – JPL satellite ephemeris". Planetary Satellite Mean Orbital Parameters. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
    5. Sheppard, Scott S.; Jewitt, David C.; Kleyna, Jan (2006). "A Survey for "Normal" Irregular Satellites around Neptune: Limits to Completeness". The Astronomical Journal. 132: 171–176. arXiv:astro-ph/0604552. Bibcode:2006AJ....132..171S. doi:10.1086/504799.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
    6. Grav, Tommy; Holman, Matthew J.; Fraser, Wesley C. (2004-09-20). "Photometry of Irregular Satellites of Uranus and Neptune". The Astrophysical Journal. 613 (1): L77–L80. arXiv:astro-ph/0405605. Bibcode:2004ApJ...613L..77G. doi:10.1086/424997.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
    7. Holman, M. J.; Kavelaars, J. J.; Grav, T.; et al. (2004). "Discovery of five irregular moons of Neptune" (PDF). Nature. 430 (7002): 865–867. Bibcode:2004Natur.430..865H. doi:10.1038/nature02832. PMID 15318214. Retrieved 24 October 2011.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
    8. Williams, Dr. David R. (2008-01-22). "Neptunian Satellite Fact Sheet". NASA (National Space Science Data Center). Retrieved 2011-11-03.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.