Halimede, a moon of Neptune
Classification
Natural satellite of Neptune
Average distance from Neptune
15,730,000 km
9,774,150 miles
9,774,150 miles
Diameter across equator
62 km
39 miles
39 miles
Time to orbit Neptune
1880 days
Year of Discovery
2002
Origin of Name
One of the 50 Nereids of Greek mythology, kind and helpful sea nymphs who are the daughters of Nereus and Doris.
Halimede is classed as an irregular retrograde moon. An irregular moon usually refers to a moon that has been captured by a planet's gravity rather than one which formed around it. It doesn't necessarily refer to the moon's shape, although Halimede is indeed an irregular shape. A retrograde moon is one that orbits in the opposite direction of its host planet's rotation. It's likely that Halimede was originally an asteroid or an object that formed in the Kuiper Belt.
Why is Halimede called Halimede?
