Crain's Science Pages | Solar System Moons and Rings

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SOLAR SYSTEM DATA – MOONS and RINGS Planets Exoplanets
So Many, So Far Away

Moons are natural objects that orbit planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids (minor planets). They vary in size from more than 5000 Km diameter to a few Km. Composed of rock and/or ice, they are held by gravitational forces to their primary planet.

Near Side Luna

Far Side Luna

Most orbits are slightly to strongly elliptical, measured by their eccentricity (Ecc). Most orbits are tilted relative to their host body equator (Incl). Some orbit in the same direction as the primary's spin direction (prograde); some rotate in the opposite direction (retrograde).

The time it takes for the moon to make one orbit is the orbital period, measured in Earth days. Positive values for the period represent prograde motion; negative values represent retrograde motion.

NOTES: Data from Wikipedia, photos mostly NASA credits, via Wikipedia. "Orbit" is semi-major axis (distance from center of elliptical orbit to it's maximum elongation - equivalent to radius of a circle).

Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, Second man on the moon, June 1969.

Diameter (1 Km = 0.62 miles) and mass (1 Kg = 2.2 pounds) are measured or estimated by various means (orbit perturbations, brightness, period vs distance from host, space craft photos) and may not be very accurate in many cases. Diameter shown is maximum, if object has irregular shape.

"Discovery Order" is shown in Arabic numerals (eg 29) instead of Roman numerals (eg XXIX). Moons are often named by their order of discovery instead of their assigned names. For example, Jupiter XXIX is the 29th moon discovered at Jupiter, and is named Thyone, (pronounced Thigh-own-ee or Theee-oh-nee). It is the 30th moon of Jupiter, counting outward from the planet. As new moons are found, counter position may change, but the two names associated with each moon will not.

MOONS of EARTH and MARS (Mercury and Venus have no moons)
Luna Deimos Phobos
Order		Name	Diam	Mass	Orbit	Period	Incl	Ecc	Date
Orbit	Discovery		Km	10^16 Kg	Km	Days	deg
1	1	Luna	3474	7347000000	384399	27.32	5.145	0.0549	10^6 BPE
2	NEO	2006 RH120	5 m	4 Polar orbits Sep 2006 - Jun 2007, will return in 2028			90	0.5-0.7	2006

1	1	Phobos	27	1.08	9377	0.321	0.0	0.0	1877
2	2	Deimos	12	0.2	23460	1.265	0.0	0.0	1877

MOONS of JUPITER 12 tiny moons discovered in 2017 are not included on this list, total=79 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Jupiter
Metis Adrastea Amalthea Thebe Io Europa Ganymede Callisto
Order		Name	Diam	Mass	Orbit	Period	Incl	Ecc	Date
Orbit	Discovery		Km	10^16 Kg	Km	Days	deg
1	16	Metis	60	1636	127690	0.295	0.06	2E-005	1979
2	15	Adrastea	20	152	128690	0.298	0.03	0.0015	1979
3	5	Amalthea	250	208	181366	0.498	0.37	0.0032	1892
4	14	Thebe	98	43	221889	0.675	1.08	0.0175	1979
5	1	Io	3660	8900000	421700	1.77	0.05	0.0041	1610
6	2	Europa	3121	4800000	671034	3.55	0.47	0.0094	1610
7	3	Ganymede	5262	15000000	1070412	7.15	0.20	0.0011	1610
8	4	Callisto	4820	11000000	1882709	8.00	16.69	0.0074	1610
9	18	Themisto	8	0.069	7393216	129.87	45.76	0.2115	1975
10	13	Leda	16	0.6	11187781	241.75	27.56	0.1673	1974
11	6	Himalia	170	670	11451971	250.37	30.49	0.1513	1904
12	10	Lysithea	36	6.3	11740560	259.89	27.01	0.1322	1938
13	7	Elara	86	87	11778034	261.14	29.69	0.1948	1905
14	99	S/2000-J11	4	0.009	12570424	287.93	27.58	0.2058	2001
15	46	Carpo	3	0.004	17144873	458.62	56.00	0.2735	2003
16	99	S/2003-J12	1	0.00015	17739539	–482.69	142.68	0.4449	2003
17	34	Euporie	2	0.0015	19088434	–538.78	144.69	0.096	2002
18	99	S/2003-J3	2	0.0015	19621780	–561.52	146.36	0.2507	2003
19	99	S/2003-J18	2	0.0015	19812577	–569.73	147.40	0.1569	2003
20	99	S/2011-J1	2	0.0015	20155290	–582.22	162.80	0.2962	2011
21	99	S/2010-J2	2	0.0015	20307150	–588.36	150.41	0.307	2010
22	42	Thelxinoe	2	0.0015	20453753	–597.61	151.29	0.2684	2003
23	33	Euanthe	3	0.0045	20464854	–598.09	143.41	0.2	2002
24	45	Helike	4	0.009	20540266	–601.40	154.59	0.1374	2003
25	35	Orthosie	2	0.0015	20567971	–602.62	142.37	0.2433	2002
26	24	Iocaste	5	0.019	20722566	–609.43	147.25	0.2874	2001
27	99	S/2003-J16	2	0.0015	20743779	–610.36	150.77	0.3184	2003
28	27	Praxidike	7	0.043	20823948	–613.90	144.21	0.184	2001
29	22	Harpalyke	4	0.012	21063814	–624.54	147.22	0.244	2001
30	40	Mneme	2	0.0015	21129786	–627.48	149.73	0.3169	2003
31	30	Hermippe	4	0.009	21182086	–629.81	151.24	0.229	2002
32	29	Thyone	4	0.009	21405570	–639.80	147.28	0.2525	2002
33	12	Ananke	28	3.0	21454952	–642.02	151.56	0.3445	1951
34	99	S/2003-J17	2	0.0015	22134306	–672.75	162.49	0.2379	2003
35	31	Aitne	3	0.0045	22285161	–679.64	165.56	0.3927	2002
36	37	Kale	2	0.0015	22409207	–685.32	165.38	0.2011	2002
37	20	Taygete	5	0.016	22438648	–686.67	164.89	0.3678	2001
38	99	S/2003-J19	2	0.0015	22709061	–699.12	164.73	0.1961	2003
39	21	Chaldene	4	0.0075	22713444	–699.33	167.07	0.2916	2001
40	99	S/2003-J15	2	0.0015	22720999	–699.68	141.81	0.0932	2003
41	99	S/2003-J10	2	0.0015	22730813	–700.13	163.81	0.3438	2003
42	99	S/2003-J23	2	0.0015	22739654	–700.54	148.85	0.393	2004
43	25	Erinome	3	0.0045	22986266	–711.96	163.74	0.2552	2001
44	41	Aoede	4	0.009	23044175	–714.66	160.48	0.6011	2003
45	44	Kallichore	2	0.0015	23111823	–717.81	164.61	0.2041	2003
46	23	Kalyke	5	0.019	23180773	–721.02	165.51	0.2139	2001
47	11	Carme	46	13	23197992	–721.82	165.05	0.2342	1938
48	17	Callirrhoe	9	0.087	23214986	–722.62	139.85	0.2582	2000
49	32	Eurydome	3	0.0045	23230858	–723.36	149.32	0.3769	2002
50	99	S2011-J2	2	0.0015	23329710	–726.06	151.8	0.3867	2011
51	38	Pasithee	2	0.0015	23307318	–726.93	165.76	0.3288	2002
52	99	S/2010-J1	2	0.0015	23314335	–722.83	163.2	0.320	2010
53	99	Kore	2	0.0015	23345093	–776.02	137.37	0.1951	2003
54	48	Cyllene	2	0.0015	23396269	–731.10	140.15	0.4115	2003
55	47	Eukelade	4	0.009	23483694	–735.20	164.00	0.2828	2003
56	99	S/2003-J4	2	0.0015	23570790	–739.29	147.18	0.3003	2003
57	8	Pasiphaë	60	30	23609042	–741.09	141.80	0.3743	1908
58	39	Hegemone	3	0.0045	23702511	–745.50	152.51	0.4077	2003
59	43	Arche	3	0.0045	23717051	–746.19	164.59	0.1492	2002
60	26	Isonoe	4	0.0075	23800647	–750.13	165.13	0.1775	2001
61	99	S/2003-J9	1	0.00015	23857808	–752.84	164.98	0.2761	2003
62	99	S/2003-J5	4	0.009	23973926	–758.34	165.55	0.307	2003
63	9	Sinope	38	7.5	24057865	–762.33	153.78	0.275	1914
64	36	Sponde	2	0.0015	24252627	–771.60	154.37	0.4431	2002
65	28	Autonoe	4	0.009	24264445	–772.17	151.06	0.369	2002
66	19	Megaclite	5	0.021	24687239	–792.44	150.40	0.3077	2001
67	99	S/2003-J2	2	0.0015	30290846	–1077.0	153.52	0.1882	2003

MOONS of SATURN Many tiny moonlets are not catalogged Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Saturn
Pan Atlas Prometheus Pandora Epimeteus Janus Methone Telesto Calypso Helene Polydeuces Mimas Enceladus Tethys Dione Rhea Titan Hyperion Iapetus Phoebe
Order		Name	Diam	Mass	Orbit	Period	Incl	Ecc	Date
Orbit	Discovery		Km	10^16 Kg	Km	Days	deg
1	62	S2009 S1	0.3		117000	?	?		2009
Moonlets		Moonlets	0.5		130000	?	?		2006
		S/2004-S6	5		140130	?	0.62		2004
		S/2004-S4	3		140200	?	0.62		2004
		S/2004-S3	3		140300	?	0.62		2004
2	18	Pan	35		133584	0.575	0.00		1990
3	35	Daphnis	8		136505	0.594	0.00		2005
4	15	Atlas	46		137670	0.601	0.00		1980
5	16	Prometheus	119	27	139380	0.612	0.01		1980
6	17	Pandora	103	22	141720	0.628	0.05		1980
7a	11	Epimetheus	135	55	151422	0.694	0.34		1980
7b	10	Janus	193	198	151472	0.694	0.17		1966
9	53	Aegeaon	0.5	--	167500	0.808	0	0	2008
10	1	Mimas	415	3750	185404	0.942	1.57		1789
11	32	Methone	3		194440	1.009	0.01		2004
12	49	Anthe	2		197700	1.036	0.10		2007
13	33	Pallene	4		212280	1.153	0.18		2004
14	2	Enceladus	513	7300	237950	1.37	0.01		1789
15	3	Tethys	1081	62200	294619	1.887	0.17		1684
15a	13	Telesto	29		294619	1.887	1.16		1980
15b	14	Calypso	30		294619	1.887	1.47		1980
18	4	Dione	1128	105000	377396	2.736	0.00		1684
18a	12	Helene	36		377396	2.736	0.21		1980
18b	34	Polydeuces	3.5		377396	2.736	0.18		2004
21	5	Rhea	1535	231000	527108	4.518	0.33		1672
22	6	Titan	5151	13500000	1221930	15.95	1.63		1655
23	7	Hyperion	360	1770	1481010	21.28	0.57		1848
24	8	Iapetus	1494	159000	3560820	79.32	7.57		1671
25	24	Kiviuq	16		11294800	448.2	49.09		2000
26	22	Ijiraq	12		11355316	451.8	50.21		2000
27	9	Phoebe	230		12869700	–545.1	173.05		1899
28	20	Paaliaq	22		15103400	693.0	46.15		2000
29	27	Skathi	8		15672500	–732.5	149.08		2000
30	26	Albiorix	32		16266700	774.6	38.04		2000
31	99	S/2007-S2	6		16560000	–793.0	176.68		2007
32	37	Bebhionn	6		17153520	838.8	40.48		2004
33	28	Erriapus	10		17236900	844.9	38.11		2000
34	47	Skoll	6		17473800	–862.4	155.62		2006
35	29	Siarnaq	40		17776600	884.9	45.80		2000
36	52	Tarqeq	7		17910600	894.9	49.90		2007
37	99	S/2004-S13	6		18056300	–905.9	167.38		2004
38	51	Greip	6		18065700	–906.6	172.67		2006
39	44	Hyrrokkin	8		18168300	–914.3	153.27		2006
40	5	Jarnsaxa	6		18556900	–943.8	162.86		2006
41	21	Tarvos	15		18562800	944.2	34.68		2000
42	25	Mundilfari	7		18725800	–956.7	169.38		2000
43	99	S/2006-S1	6		18930200	–972.4	154.23		2006
44	99	S/2004-S17	4		19099200	–985.5	166.88		2004
45	38	Bergelmir	6		19104000	–985.8	157.38		2004
46	31	Narvi	7		19395200	–1008.5	137.29		2003
47	23	Suttungr	7		19579000	–1022.8	174.32		2000
48	43	Hati	6		19709300	–1033.1	163.13		2004
49		S/2004-S12	5		19905900	–1048.5	164.04		2004
50	40	Farbauti	5		19984800	–1054.8	158.36		2004
51	30	Thrymr	7		20278100	–1078.1	174.52		2000
52	36	Aegir	6		20482900	–1094.5	167.43		2004
53		S/2007-S3	5		20518500	–1100.0	177.22		2007
54	39	Bestla	7		20570000	–1101.5	147.40		2004
55		S/2004-S7	6		20576700	–1102.0	165.60		2004
56		S/2006-S3	6		21076300	–1142.4	150.82		2006
57	41	Fenrir	4		21930644	–1212.5	162.83		2004
58	48	Surtur	6		22288916	–1242.4	166.92		2006
58	45	Kari	7		22321200	–1245.1	148.38		2006
60	19	Ymir	18		22429673	–1254.2	172.14		2000
61	46	Loge	6		22984322	–1301.0	166.54		2006
62	42	Fornjot	6		24504879	–1432.2	167.89		2004

MOONS of URANUS Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Uranus
Belinda Puck Miranda Ariel Umbriel Titania Oberon
Order		Name	Diam	Mass	Orbit	Period	Incl	Ecc	Date
Orbit	Discovery		Km	10^16 Kg	Km	Days	deg
1	5	Cordelia	42	5.0	49751	0.335	0.084		1986
2	7	Ophelia	46	5.1	53764	0.376	0.103		1986
3	8	Bianca	54	9.2	59165	0.434	0.193		1986
4	9	Cressida	82	34	61766	0.463	0.006		1986
5	10	Desdemona	68	23	62658	0.473	0.111		1986
6	11	Juliet	106	82	64360	0.493	0.065		1986
7	12	Portia	140	170	66097	0.513	0.059		1986
8	13	Rosalind	72	25	69927	0.558	0.279		1986
9	27	Cupid	18	0.38	74800	0.618	0.1		2003
10	14	Belinda	90	49	75255	0.623	0.031		1986
11	25	Perdita	30	1.8	76420	0.638	0		1986
12	15	Puck	162	290	86004	0.761	0.319		1985
13	26	Mab	25	1	97734	0.923	0.133		2003
14	5	Miranda	471	6600	129390	1.413	4.232		1948
15	1	Ariel	1157	135000	191020	2.52	0.26		1851
16	2	Umbriel	1169	117000	266300	4.144	0.205		1851
17	3	Titania	1577	353000	435910	8.705	0.34		1787
18	4	Oberon	1522	301000	583520	13.463	0.058		1787
19	22	Francisco	22	0.72	4276000	–266.56	147.4		2001
20	16	Caliban	72	25	7231000	–579.73	139.8		1997
21	20	Stephano	32	2.2	8004000	–677.37	141.8		1999
22	21	Trinculo	18	0.39	8504000	–749.24	166.2		2001
23	17	Sycorax	150	230	12179000	–1288.28	152.4		1997
24	23	Margaret	20	0.54	14345000	1687.01	51.4		2003
25	18	Prospero	50	8.5	16256000	–1978.29	146		1999
26	19	Setebos	48	7.5	17418000	–2225.21	145.8		1999
27	24	Ferdinand	20	0.54	20901000	–2887.21	167.3		2001

MOONS of NEPTUNE Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Neptune
Despina Larissa Proteus Triton Nereid
Order		Name	Diam	Mass	Orbit	Period	Incl	Ecc	Date
Orbit	Discovery		Km	10^16 Kg	Km	Days	deg
1	3	Naiad	96	19	48227	0.294	4.7		1989
2	4	Thalassa	108	35	50075	0.311	0.2		1989
3	5	Despina	180	210	52526	0.335	0.1		1989
4	6	Galatea	204	212	61953	0.429	0.1		1989
5	7	Larissa	216	420	73548	0.555	0.2		1981
6	14	S/2004 N1	18	--	105283	0.936	0.0		2013
7	8	Proteus	436	4400	117647	1.122	0.6		1989
8	1	Triton	2707	2140000	354800	–5.877	156.8		1846
9	2	Nereid	340	2200	5513400	360	27.6		1949
10	4	Halimede	60	9	15728000	–1879			2002
11	11	Sao	38	9	22422000	2914			2002
12	12	Laomedeia	38	9	23571000	3167			2002
13	10	Psamathe	28	1.5	46695000	–9116			2003
14	13	Neso	60	9	48387000	–9374			2002

MOONS of DWARF and MINOR PLANETS
Pluto System Eris System Haumea System
Order		Name	Diam	Mass	Orbit	Period	Incl	Ecc	Date
Orbit	Discovery		Km	10^16 Kg	Km	Days	deg
1	Pluto I	Charon	1206	152000	17536	6.39	0.001	0.0022	1978
2	Pluto V	Styx	10-25	--	42000	20.5	0	0	2012
3	Pluto II	Nix	46	5	48708	24.85	0.195		2005
4	Pluto IV	Kerberos (S/2011 P1)	13-34	?	59000	32.1	0.0 ?		2011
5	Pluto III	Hydra	60	5	64759	38.21	0.0051		2005

1	Eris I	Dysnomia	100	125	37370	15774	142	0.013	2005

1	Haumea II	Namaka	170	2000	39300	18	13	0.23	2005
2	Haumea I	Hi'iaka	310	2000	49500	49	234	0.05	2005

104 Moons revolve around asteroids (2008)

RINGS of the OUTER PLANETS

JUPITER	Orbit Radius (Km)
Halo	92000	122500
Main	122500	129000
Amalthea Gossamer	129000	182000
Thebe Gossamer	182000	296000
















SATURN	Orbit Radius (Km)
D Ring	66900	74510
C Ring	74658	92000
Colombo Gap	77870
Titan Ringlet	77870
Maxwell Gap	87491
B Ring	92000	117580
Cassini Division	117580	122170
Huygens Gap	117680
A Ring	122170	136775
Encke Gap	133589
Keeler Gap	136530
Roche Division	136775	139380
F Ring	140180
Janus/Epimetheus	149000	154000
G Ring	170000	175000
Methone Ring	194230
Anthe Ring	197665
Pallene Ring	211000	213500
E Ring	481000	483000

URANUS	Orbit Radius (Km)
ζ_cZeta-C	32000	37850
1986U2R	37000	39500
ζ Zeta	37850	41350
6	41837
5	42234
4	42570
α Alpha	44718
β Beta	45661
η Eta	47175
η_cEta-C	47176
γ Gamma	47627
δ_c Delta-C	48300
δ Delta	48300
λ Lamda	50023
ε Xi	51149
ν Nu	66100	69900
μ Mu	86000	103000






NEPTUNE	Orbit Radius (Km)
Galle	40900	42900
LeVerrier	53200
Lassell	53200	57200
Arago	57200
Adams	62932