There are 288 discovered natural satellites – or moons, as they are colloquially known – in the Solar system. Most of these are found in the outer gas giants. However, many of these have not received proper names as they were discovered recently and have yet to be confirmed. Only 164 moons have proper names.
Out of those, there are 6 moons whose names start with the letter K. These are all listed in the following table. Below you will also find some additional details about each, including physical characteristics, the original meaning of their names, etc.
| Name | Planet | Name Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kale | Jupiter | One of the Graces or Charities (goddesses of charm, beauty, goodwill, and creativity) |
| Kallichore | Jupiter | One of the nymphs |
| Kalyke | Jupiter | Alternatively written as Calyce. Thessalian princess. It is also the name of one of the nymphs. |
| Kari | Saturn | Personification of wind in Norse mythology |
| Kiviuq | Saturn | A hero in Inuit mythology |
| Kore | Jupiter | Alternativve name for Persephone, daughter of Zeus and wife to Hades which made her queen of the underworld |
Kale
Kale is a small irregular moon of Jupiter, discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard and his team. Named after one of the Greek Charities (also known as Graces), Kale represented the beauty and charm of life. The moon is approximately 2 kilometers in diameter and orbits Jupiter in a retrograde direction, suggesting it may be a captured asteroid. It belongs to the Carme group, characterized by similar orbital parameters.
Kallichore
Kallichore is another irregular satellite of Jupiter, discovered in 2003 by Sheppard’s team at the Mauna Kea Observatory. The name comes from one of Zeus’s nymphs, meaning “beautiful dance” in Greek. With an estimated diameter of 1.8 kilometers, it’s one of Jupiter’s smaller moons. It’s part of the Pasiphae group, moving in a retrograde orbit at an average distance of about 23.1 million kilometers from Jupiter.
Kalyke
Kalyke is a retrograde irregular satellite of Jupiter discovered in 2000 by the University of Hawaii team. Named after a Thessalian princess who bore a son to Zeus in Greek mythology, the moon is about 5.2 kilometers in diameter. It’s a member of the Carme group and takes approximately 743 days to complete one orbit around Jupiter. The moon’s surface is likely very dark, with an albedo similar to other irregular satellites.
Kari
Kari is a small moon of Saturn discovered in 2006 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan Kleyna. Named after a Norse wind giant, it’s fitting as the moon is part of the Norse group of irregular satellites. Only about 6 kilometers in diameter, Kari orbits Saturn in a retrograde direction at an average distance of 22.1 million kilometers. The moon’s highly inclined orbit suggests it was likely captured by Saturn’s gravity rather than forming alongside the planet.
Kiviuq
Kiviuq is another irregular moon of Saturn, discovered in 2000 by Brett Gladman and his team. Named after a legendary Inuit hero and wanderer, this moon is approximately 16 kilometers in diameter, making it one of the larger irregular satellites of Saturn. It orbits in a prograde direction and belongs to the Inuit group of moons. The relatively high albedo of Kiviuq suggests its surface composition might differ from other irregular satellites.
Kore
Kore, a Jupiter moon discovered in 2003, shares its name with the alternative title for Persephone in Greek mythology. The name Kore means “maiden” and refers to Persephone before her marriage to Hades. This small irregular satellite is approximately 2 kilometers in diameter and belongs to the Pasiphae group. Like many of Jupiter’s outer moons, it follows a retrograde orbit, suggesting it was captured rather than formed alongside Jupiter. The moon takes about 779.5 days to complete one orbit around Jupiter.
Click on a letter below for a list of moons that begin with it.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Related:
For more on how moons are named check out this article.