The 4 inner moons (Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea and Thebe) 
are inwards of the 4 Gallilean moons.


Metis

Metis was discover in 1979 by Synnott (Voyager 1)

The satellite lies, together with Adrastea, within Jupiters main ring. They may be the source of this ring.

Satelliets within a planet's ring are sometimes called "mooms"


Adrastea

Adrastea was dicovered by graduate student David Jewitt in 1979 (Voyager 1)

This satellite also lies within Jupiter's main ring.

Metis and Adrastea orbit inside the synchronous orbit radius and inside the Roche limit. They may be small enough to avoid tidal disruption but their orbits will eventually decay.

Adrastea is one of the smallest satellites in the solar system (Diameter = 10 km)

Amalthea

Discovered by Barnard on september 9th 1892. Amathea was the last satellite discover by direct visual observation.

Amalthea and Himalia are the 5th and 6th largest satellites of jupiter. They are just 1/15 of the next largest moon, Europa.

Like most of jupiter's moons, Amathea rotates synchronosly, it's axis is directed towards Jupiter.

Amalthea is the reddest body in the solar system. This red color originates from the sulfur, which comes from Io.

Amalthea's composition is more like an asteroid then it is like the gallilean satellites.


 

 

Thebe

Thebe was discovered by Synnott in 1979 (Voyager 1)

Very little is know about thebe.