Metis (moon)

Metis

Discovery
Discovered by	S. Synnott[?]
Discovered in	1979
Orbital characteristics
Mean radius	127,969 km
Eccentricity	0.0012
Revolution period	7h 4.5m
Inclination	~0°
Is a satellite of	Jupiter
Physical characteristics
Equatorial diameter	60(×40) km
Surface area	km2
Mass	9.5467×1016 kg
Mean density	2.8 g/cm3
Surface gravity	0.0159 m/s2
Rotation period	7h 4.5m
Axial tilt	°
Albedo	0.05
Surface temp.	min mean max K K K
Atmospheric pressure	0 kPa

Metis (pronounced "MEE tis") is the innermost of Jupiter's known moons. It was discovered in 1979 by the Voyager 1 probe and named after Metis, a Titaness who was the first wife of Zeus and the mother of Athena. It lies within Jupiter's main planetary ring, and may be the source of the material that comprises it. Its orbit lies inside Jupiter's synchronous orbit radius, and as a result tidal forces are slowly causing its orbit to decay. It is also within Jupiter's Roche limit, but is small enough to avoid tidal disruption.