Dactyl (moon)
Highest-resolution image of Dactyl, recorded while Galileo was about 3,900 km away from the moon | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Ann Harch |
| Discovery site | Galileo spacecraft |
| Discovery date | 17 February 1994 |
| Designations | |
| (243) Ida I | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdæktɪl/ DAK-til |
Named after | Dactyls |
| 1993 (243) 1 | |
| Adjectives | Dactylian /dækˈtɪliən/ |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| 90 km at time of discovery | |
| prograde, ca. 20 h | |
| Inclination | ca. 8° |
| Satellite of | Ida |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 1.6×1.4×1.2 km |
Equatorial escape velocity | 0.895m/s |
| synchronous | |
| Temperature | 200 K (−73 °C; −100 °F) |
Dactyl (/ˈdæktɪl/ DAK-til), formal designation (243) Ida I, is a small asteroid moon 1,200 by 1,400 by 1,600 m (3,900 by 4,600 by 5,200 ft), in size) that orbits 243 Ida, a main-belt asteroid. It was imaged by the Galileo spacecraft on August 28, 1993; Dactyl was discovered while examining the delayed image downloads from Galileo on February 17, 1994. It was provisionally designated S/1993 (243) 1. The satellite was named after the mythical creatures called dactyls, who, according to Greek mythology, lived on Mount Ida.