Moon of Jupiter
Ganymede
The largest moon in the solar system, bigger than Mercury.
Ganymede takes about 7.15 days to orbit Jupiter, completing one lap for every two of Europa and four of Io. Its nearly circular orbit keeps it tidally locked to Jupiter. It is the largest moon in the solar system and the only one known to generate its own magnetic field.
How it moves
- Ganymede orbits Jupiter every 7.155 days at about 1,070,400 km.
- It is the outer member of the 1:2:4 resonance with Europa and Io.
- Its orbit is nearly circular (eccentricity 0.001) and close to Jupiter's equatorial plane.
- Ganymede is tidally locked, always presenting the same face to Jupiter.
Facts
- Mean radius
- 2,631.2 km
- Mass
- 1.482e+23 kg
- Surface gravity
- 1.43 m/s²
- Rotation period
- 171.709 hours
- Orbital period
- 7.155 days
- Average orbital distance
- 1,070,400 km
- Eccentricity
- 0.001
- Discovered
- January 7, 1610, by Galileo Galilei
Ganymede is the only moon known to have its own magnetic field, complete with auroras.
Sources: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov, ssd.jpl.nasa.gov, ssd.jpl.nasa.gov