Himalia

A confirmed moon in the Jupiter system.

Named · Jupiter VI

Snapshot 2026-09-09 · catalog 1.0.0

Explore Himalia in Orrery

Physical measurements

Mean radius
85 ± 10 kmmeasured · Source estimate; uncertainty is the source-reported standard error when available.
GM · gravitational parameter
0.15155 ± 0.05763 km³ s⁻²measured · Source estimate; uncertainty is the source-reported standard error when available.
Mass
≈ 2.2707e+18 ± 8.6346e+17 kgderived · GM/G; independent standard uncertainties combined in quadrature. No uncertainty is invented when the source omits GM uncertainty.
Mean density
≈ 0.8827 ± 0.458 g cm⁻³derived · JPL derives density from GM and volume-equivalent radius.

PCK reference shape axes: ≈ 85 × ≈ 85 × ≈ 85 km. These are model axes, not a mapped surface.

Orbit descriptions

Mean elements describe an average orbit. They are not positions for a chosen date.

JUP347 · ecliptic plane · 2000-01-01.5 TDB
Semimajor axis
11,439,000 km
Sidereal period
249.909 days
Eccentricity
0.16
Inclination to reference plane
28.4°
Argument of periapsis
321.1°
Mean anomaly
78.3°
Ascending node
64.2°
Apsidal / nodal precession periods
187.4 / 297.1 years
Reference-plane pole RA / Dec
— / —°
Plane tilt to parent equator
—°
Reference center
Not specified in this summary sourceThe summary table identifies a parent system but does not explicitly specify the reference center for each solution. Do not infer a physical-primary center, especially for Pluto’s circumbinary moons.

Orientation

No supported orientation model in the admitted PCK source.

Identity & availability

Stable catalog ID
himalia
JPL / NAIF satellite ID
506
Names & designations
Himalia
Discovery / rediscovery years
1904C.D. Perrine

No validated dated trajectory admitted in catalog 1.0.0. Mean elements are not ephemerides.

No image or global texture admitted in this catalog release.No environment measurements admitted in this catalog release.

Sources & evidence

  1. JPL discovery circumstancestable tr[10] (zero-based); jupiter / Himalia · References: IAU WGPSN
  2. MPC planetary satellite listitems[4]; Jupiter 6
  3. MPC satellite namesitems[71]; Jupiter 6
  4. JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Jupiter / Himalia / NAIF 506; mean radius · References: 1
  5. JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Jupiter / Himalia / NAIF 506; GM · References: JUP344
  6. NIST CODATA 2022Table of universal constants, Newtonian constant of gravitationVerified numeric transcription; see acquisition notes in the download.
  7. JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Jupiter / Himalia / NAIF 506; density · References: *
  8. JPL mean orbital elements#sat_elem row ID=11; Jupiter / Himalia / NAIF 506 · References: 47
  9. NAIF PCK 00011BODY506_RADII; active data block

Full catalog, uncertainty and source manifests · All Jupiter moons · Moon model limits