Orbit
Sinope orbits Jupiter on a high eccentricity and high inclination retrograde orbit. The orbital elements are as of January 2000. They are continuously changing due to solar and planetary perturbations. It is often believed to belong to the Pasiphaƫ group. However, given its mean inclination and different colour, Sinope could be also an independent object, captured independently, unrelated to the collision and break-up at the origin of the group. The diagram illustrates Sinope's orbital elements in relation to other satellites of the group.
Sinope is also known to be in a secular resonance with Jupiter, similar to Pasiphae. However, Sinope can drop out of this resonance and has periods of both resonant and non resonant behaviour in time scales of 107 years.
Read more about this topic: Sinope (moon)
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