Ganymede
Ganymede
Moon of Jupiter
Ganymede facts
- Orbits
- Jupiter
- Distance from Jupiter
- 1,070,400 km (15.3 Jupiter-radii)
- Orbital period
- 7.2 days
- Diameter
- 5,268 km
- Mass
- 1.48 × 10²³ kg
- Orbital inclination
- 0.2°
- Tidally locked
- Yes
- Discovered
- 1610, by Galileo Galilei
Ganymede orbits Jupiter
Watch Ganymede (highlighted) circle Jupiter. Press play; the moons run at their real relative speeds.
Relative sizes and spacing are compressed; orbits shown coplanar. Click a moon for its page.
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About Ganymede
Ganymede is Jupiter's largest Galilean moon and the largest moon in the entire Solar System, even bigger than the planet Mercury. It is the only moon known to generate its own magnetic field, and it too likely hides a salty ocean between layers of ice.
- Named after a Trojan prince, cupbearer to the gods in Greek myth
- Discovered: 1610, by Galileo Galilei
Ganymede: frequently asked questions
- What is Ganymede?
- Ganymede is Jupiter's largest Galilean moon and the largest moon in the entire Solar System, even bigger than the planet Mercury.
- What planet does Ganymede orbit?
- Ganymede orbits Jupiter at an average distance of about 1,070,400 km, completing one lap every 7.2 days.
- How big is Ganymede?
- Ganymede has a diameter of about 5,268 km and a mass of roughly 1.48 × 10²³ kg. It is the largest moon in the Solar System, bigger than the planet Mercury.
- Why is Ganymede famous?
- Ganymede's claim to fame: the largest moon in the Solar System, bigger than the planet Mercury, and the only moon with its own magnetic field.
See Ganymede in motion
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Data from NASA/JPL and NSSDCA. Source.