Moons of Saturn
Explanation:
On July 29, 2011 the Cassini spacecraft's
narrow-angle camera
took
this snapshot and captured 5
of
Saturn's moons, from just above the ringplane.
Left to right are small moons Janus and Pandora respectively
179 and 81 kilometers across,
shiny 504 kilometer diameter Enceladus,
and Mimas, 396 kilometers across, seen just next to Rhea.
Cut off by the right edge of the frame, Rhea is Saturn's
second largest moon at 1,528 kilometers across.
So
how many moons
does Saturn have?
Twenty new found outer satellites bring its total to 82 known moons,
and since Jupiter's moon total stands at 79, Saturn is the Solar System's new
moon king.
The
newly announced
Saturnian satellites are all very small, 5
kilometers or so in diameter, and most are in retrograde orbits inclined
to Saturn's ringplane.
You can help
name
Saturn's new moons, but you should
understand the rules.
Hint: A knowledge of Norse, Inuit, and Gallic mythology will help.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
