Appendix 1a: Solar System Data

Note: The data on these pages has been compiled from a number of sources none of which agree on all items. Some of this data, especially for the smaller satellites, is not very accurate in the first place. Furthermore, orbits vary slightly over time due to gravitational interactions. The accuracy of mass and density data is also limited by the uncertainty in the value of the gravitational constant.

  • This page presents data on the orbits of the planets and moons along with some historical data.
  • The physical data page presents data about the objects themselves.
  • A third page presents some additional miscellaneous data about the planets (only).
  • The recently discovered tiny moons of Jupiter and Saturn are not included here (but see the links).
  • The History and Extrema pages highlight some interesting aspects of this data.
  • Much more accurate and detailed data is available from JPL’s Horizons telnet interface or the Solar System Dynamics Web site
  • How to compute planetary positions, by Paul Schlyter
  • Tutorial on computing planetary positions, by Paul Schlyter
  • another page on Astronomical Calculations
  • source code for many astronomical algorithms
  • math, volume, fraction and circumference calculators at Pi Day

See below for a key to the columns.


Orbital and Historical Data

Name#OrbitsDistance (000 km)O_Period (days)InclEccenDiscovererDateA.K.A.
Sun--------Sol (0)
MercuryISun5791087.9770.21--(0)
VenusIISun108200224.73.390.01--(0)
EarthIIISun149600365.2600.02--(0)
MarsIVSun227940686.981.850.09--(0)
JupiterVSun7783304332.711.310.05--(0)
SaturnVISun142940010759.52.490.06--(0)
UranusVIISun2870990306850.770.05Herschel1781(0)
NeptuneVIIISun4504300601901.770.01Adams(9)1846(0)
PlutoIXSun59135209055017.150.25Tombaugh1930(0)
MoonIEarth38427.325.140.05--Luna (0)
PhobosIMars90.3210.02Hall1877
DeimosIIMars231.261.80Hall1877
MetisXVIJupiter1280.2900Synnott19791979 J 3
AdrasteaXVJupiter1290.300Jewitt(1)19791979 J1
AmaltheaVJupiter1810.50.40Barnard1892
ThebeXIVJupiter2220.670.80.02Synnott19791979 J2
IoIJupiter4221.770.040Galileo(2)1610
EuropaIIJupiter6713.550.470.01Galileo(2)1610
GanymedeIIIJupiter10707.150.190Galileo(2)1610
CallistoIVJupiter188316.690.280.01Galileo(2)1610
ThemistoXVIIIJupiter7507Sheppard(i)2000S/1975 J 1, S/2000 J1
LedaXIIIJupiter11094238.72270.15Kowal1974
HimaliaVIJupiter11480250.57280.16Perrine1904
LysitheaXJupiter11720259.22290.11Nicholson1938
ElaraVIIJupiter11737259.65280.21Perrine1905
AnankeXIIJupiter21200-6311470.17Nicholson1951
CarmeXIJupiter22600-6921630.21Nicholson1938
PasiphaeVIIIJupiter23500-7351470.38Melotte1908
SinopeIXJupiter23700-7581530.28Nicholson1914
IocasteXXIVJupiter20216Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 3
HarpalykeXXIIJupiter21132Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 5
PraxidikeXXVIIjupiter20964Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 7
TaygeteXXJupiter23312Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 9
ChaldeneXXIJupiter23387Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 10
KalykeXXIIIjupiter23745Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 2
CallirrhoeXVIIJupiter24100Sheppard(i)2000S/1999 J 1
MegacliteXIXJupiter23911Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 8
IsonoeXXVIJupiter23078Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 6
ErinomeXXVJupiter23168Sheppard(i)2000S/2000 J 4
PanXVIIISaturn1340.5800Showalter19901981 S 13
AtlasXVSaturn1380.600Terrile19801980 S 28
PrometheusXVISaturn1390.6100Collins(3)19801980 S 27
PandoraXVIISaturn1420.6300Collins(3)19801980 S 26
EpimetheusXISaturn1510.690.340.01Walker(8)19801980 S 3
JanusXSaturn1510.690.140.01Dollfus19661980 S 1
MimasISaturn1860.941.530.02Herschel1789
EnceladusIISaturn2381.370.020Herschel1789
TethysIIISaturn2951.891.090Cassini1684
TelestoXIIISaturn2951.8900Smith(6)19801980 S 13
CalypsoXIVSaturn2951.8900Pascu(7)19801980 S 25
DioneIVSaturn3772.740.020Cassini1684
HeleneXIISaturn3772.740.20.01Laques(4)19801980 S 6, Dione B
RheaVSaturn5274.520.350Cassini1672
TitanVISaturn122215.950.330.03Huygens1655
HyperionVIISaturn148121.280.430.1Bond(5)1848
IapetusVIIISaturn356179.3314.720.03Cassini1671
PhoebeIXSaturn12952-550.48175.30.16Pickering1898
CordeliaVIUranus500.340.140Voyager 219861986 U 7
OpheliaVIIUranus540.380.090Voyager 219861987 U 8
BiancaVIIIUranus590.430.160Voyager 219861988 U 9
CressidaIXUranus620.460.040Voyager 219861986 U 3
DesdemonaXUranus630.470.160Voyager 219861986 U 6
JulietXIUranus640.490.060Voyager 219861986 U 2
PortiaXIIUranus660.510.090Voyager 219861986 U 1
RosalindXIIIUranus700.560.280Voyager 219861986 U 4
BelindaXIVUranus750.620.030Voyager 219861986 U 5
PuckXVUranus860.760.310Voyager 219851985 U 1
MirandaVUranus1301.414.220Kuiper1948
ArielIUranus1912.5200Lassell1851
UmbrielIIUranus2664.1400Lassell1851
TitaniaIIIUranus4368.7100Herschel1787
OberonIVUranus58313.4600Herschel1787
CalibanXVIUranus7169-5801400.08Gladman (c)19971997U 1
StephanoXXUranus7948-6741430.24Gladman (f)19991999 U 2
SycoraxXVIIUranus12213-12891530.51Nicholson (e)19971997 U 2
ProsperoXVIIIUranus16568-20191520.44Holman (g)19991999 U 3
SetebosXIXUranus17681-22391580.57Kavelaars(d)19991999 U 1
TrinculoXXIUranusGladman (f)20012001 U 1
NaiadIIINeptune480.2900Voyager 219891989 N 6
ThalassaIVNeptune500.314.50Voyager 219891989 N 5
DespinaVNeptune530.3300Voyager 219891989 N 3
GalateaVINeptune620.4300Voyager 219891989 N 4
LarissaVIINeptune740.5500Reitsema(h)19891989 N 2
ProteusVIIINeptune1181.1200Voyager 221989 N 1
TritonINeptune355-5.881570Lassell1846
NereidIINeptune5513360.13290.75Kuiper1949
CharonIPluto206.3998.80Christy19781978 P 1
NixIIPluto4924.860.20Stern(j)20052005 P 1
HydraIIIPluto6538.210.210Stern(j)20052005 P 2

Key:
Orbits Sun or planet about which it orbits.
Distance Mean distance (semimajor axis) between centers x1000 km.
Date Year discovered.
O_Period Sidereal period of orbit in days (negative=retrograde).
Incl Orbital inclination.
Eccen Orbital eccentricity.
A.K.A Object’s provisional name.

Notes:
(0) many other names in use
(1) & Danielson
(2) & Marius
(3) & others
(4) & Lecacheux
(5) & Lassell
(6) & Reitsema, Larson & Fountain
(7) & Seidelmann, Baum & Currie
(8) & Larson & Fountain
(9) & Le Verrier & Galle & d’Arrest
(c) & Nicholson, Burns, & Kavelaars
(d) & Gladman, Holman, Petit, & Scholl
(e) & Gladman, Burns, & Kavelaars
(f) & Holman, Kavelaars, Petit, & Scholl
(g) & Kavelaars, Gladman, Petit, & Scholl
(h) & Hubbard, Tholen, & Lebofsky
(i) & Jewitt, Fernandez, Magnier
(j) & Weaver, et al


This table and those on the other data pages were prepared with the generous help of Dr. Ellis D. Miner at JPL; his assistance was invaluable. But any errors are mine. I would greatly appreciate any bug reports and/or updates to this data.