Table IIa, IIb, Figure 4a, 4b, 4c

 

TABLE IIa
PLANETARY AXIAL ROTATION RATES  vs. SATELLITES’ ORBITAL SPEEDS
(Synchronously Rotating Satellites)

 

                         PLANETS

 

SATELLITES

 

MASS
(1024 Kg)

AXIAL ROT. SPEED
(Km/hr)

 

DIST. FROM MOTHER
(103km)

MASS*

ORBITAL SPEED (Km/hr)

1) Mars

 

0.642

867

Phobos
Deimos

9.38
23.46

10.6
2.4

7,695
4,868

2) Earth

 

5.97

1677

Moon

384.4

0.073

3,679

3) Uranus

 

86.8

9,310

Miranda
Ariel
Umbriel
Titania
Oberon

129.9
190.9
557
436
584

0.66
13.5
11.7
35.2
30.1

23,923
19,844
16,821
13,110
11,320

4) Neptune

 

102

10,231

Naiad
Thalassa
Despina
Galatea
Larissa

23.2
25.2
27.7
37.2
48.8

0.002
0.004
0.02
0.04
0.05

43,350
42,129
41,045
37,836
35,238

5) Saturn

 

568

17,775

Mimas
Enceladus
Tethys
Dione
Rhea

185.5
238
294.7
377.4
527

0.379
1.08
6.18
11.0
23.1

51,684
45,471
40,879
36,036
30,531

6) Jupiter

 

1899

45,255

Io
Europa
Ganymede
Calisto

421.6
670.9
1070
1883

893.2
480
1481.9
1075.9

62,382
49,613
39,103
29,531

 

Data presented in this table were adapted from http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet and related pages.  Only for the moon was actual value derived from the NASA’s website; all other values were calculated from the values for the orbital parameters posted at the website.  For calculating the orbits of the small satellites, where only semi-major axes were provided, they were used; since all satellites’ values were thus affected, we accepted that limitation.  
*The masses for all of the planets and earth’s moon were x10 24 kg and for the satellites of Mars were x 1015 kg; for Jupiter’s moons were x 1021 kg; for Saturn’s, Uranus’ and Neptune’s were x 1020 kg

 

TABLE II b
PLANETARY AXIAL ROTATION vs.  SATELLITES’ AXIAL ROTATION SPEED
(Synchronously Rotating Satellites)

 

PLANETS

 

SATELLITES

 

MASS
(1024kg)

AXIAL ROT.
SPEED
(km/h)

 

MASS*

DIST. FROM
MOTHER
(103km)

AXIAL. ROT.
SPEED
(km/h)

 

MARS

 

0.642

 

867

 

PHOBOS
DEIMOS

 

10.6
2.4

 

9.38
23.46

 

9.33
1.25

 

EARTH

 

5.97

 

1,677

 

MOON

 

0.073

 

384.4

 

16.7

 

URANUS

 

86.8

 

9,130

MIRANDA
ARIEL
UMBRIEL
TITANIA
OBERON

0.66
13.5
11.7
35.2
30.1

129.9
190.9
557
436
584

44
60.7
38
23.7
14.8

 

NEPTUNE

 

 

102

 

10,231

NAIAD
THALASSIA
DESPINA
GALATIA
LARISSA

0.002
0.004
0.02
0.04
0.05

23.2
25.2
27.7
37.2
48.8

31.5
36.9
60.5
54.3
47

 

SATURN

 

 

568

 

17,775

MIMAS
ENCELADUS
TETHYS
DIONE
RHEA

0.379
1.08
6.18
11.0
23.1

185.5
238
294.7
377.4
527

51.6
44.5
40.8
36
30.7

 

JUPITER

 

1899

 

42,255

IO
EUROPA
GANYMEDE
CALLISTO

893.2
480
1481.9
1075.9

421.6
670.9
1070
1883

269.6
115.2
95.7
37.8

 

Data in this table were adapted from http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet and related pages.  Only for the moon was actual values derived from NASA’s website; all other values were calculated from the values for the orbital parameters posted on that site.  For calculating the axial rotation speeds, either using the ‘median axis radius’ given by NASA, or by calculating it from the data provided (for the small satellites, where their shapes are not spherical) were used to determine the circumference.  Since the satellites were synchronously rotating, for axial rotation period, the orbital period was used.  Then, the satellites’ orbital rotation was calculated from the two values. * The masses for satellites of Mars were x1015 kg; for moon it was x1024 kg, for Uranus’, Neptune’s and Saturn’s were x1020 kg; for Jupiter’s they were 1021 kg.