Himalia: Asteroid Chunk Moon of Jupiter
Himalia is the 6th largest moon of the planet Jupiter, and is believed to be one chunk of a C-class or D-class asteroid that broke apart in a collision during capture by Jupiter's gravity. The other chunks of this asteroid became the moons Elara, Leda, and Lysithea. These four similar moons are named the Himalia group.
For a listing of all moons, see Moons of the Planets.
Himalia Facts
- Mass (kg)
- 7.77e+17
- Radius (km)
- 38
- Density (gm/cm3)
- 3.3
- Distance from planet (km)
- 11,737,000
- Rotational period (days)
- 0.5
- Orbital period (days)
- 259.6528
- Orbital velocity (km/sec)
- 3.29
- Eccentricity of orbit
- 0.2072
- Inclination of orbit (°)
- 24.77
- Albedo
- 0.03
- Magnitude (Vo)
- 16.77
- Atmosphere