Moons of Saturn

natural satellites of the planet Saturn

The planet Saturn has 146 named moons, and another 29 which are still being studied.[1] Many of the moons are very small: 33 are less than 10 km (6 mi) in diameter and thirteen moons are less than 50 km (31 mi).[2] Many of the moons are named after Titans, Giants, or minor Greek or Roman gods. Some of Saturn

Confirmed moons

The moons of Saturn are listed here by orbital period (or semi-major axis), from shortest to longest. Moons massive enough for their surfaces to have collapsed into a spheroid are highlighted in bold, while the irregular moons are listed in red, orange and gray background.
Key

Major icy moons

Titan

Inuit group

Gallic group

Norse group

Very recently, there have been 20 new discoveries of moons on Saturn that have not yet been named.

OrderLabel
[a]
NamePronunciationImageDiameter (km)[b]Mass
(×1015 kg) [c]
Semi-major axis (km) [d]Orbital period (d)[d][e]Inclination [d][f]EccentricityPositionDiscovery
year
Discoverer
1baaniroop S/2009 S 1 ≈ 0.3< 0.0001≈ 117000≈ 0.47≈ 0°≈ 0outer B Ring2009Cassini
(moonlets) 0.04 to 0.4 (Earhart)< 0.0001≈ 130000≈ 0.55≈ 0°≈ 0Three 1000 km bands within A Ring2006Cassini
2XVIII Pan/ˈpæn/ 28.2±2.6
(34 × 31 × 20)
4.95±0.75133584+0.575050.001°0.000035in Encke Division1990M. Showalter
3XXXV Daphnis/ˈdæfnɪs/ 7.6±1.6
(9 × 8 × 6)
0.084±0.012136505+0.59408≈ 0°≈ 0in Keeler Gap2005Cassini
4XV Atlas/ˈætləs/ 30.2±1.8
(41 × 35 × 19)
6.6±0.045137670+0.601690.003°0.0012outer A Ring shepherd1980Voyager 2
5XVI Prometheus/prˈmθiəs/ 86.2±5.4
(136 × 79 × 59)
159.5±1.5139380+0.612990.008°0.0022inner F Ring shepherd1980Voyager 2
6XVII Pandora/pænˈdɔːrə/ 81.4±3.0
(104 × 81 × 64)
137.1±1.9141720+0.628500.050°0.0042outer F Ring Shepherd1980Voyager 2
7aXI Epimetheus/ɛpɪˈmθiəs/ 116.2±3.6
(130 × 114 × 106)
526.6±0.6151422+0.694330.335°0.0098co-orbital with Janus1977J. Fountain, and S. Larson
7bX Janus/ˈnəs/ 179.0±2.8
(203 × 185 × 153)
1897.5±0.6151472+0.694660.165°0.0068co-orbital with Epimetheus1966A. Dollfus
9LIII Aegaeon/ˈən/ ≈ 0.5≈ 0.0001167500+0.808120.001°0.0002G Ring moonlet2008Cassini
10IMimas/ˈmməs/ 396.4±0.8
(416 × 393 × 381)
37493±31185404+0.9424221.566°0.0202 1789W. Herschel
11XXXII Methone/mɪˈθn/ 3.2±1.2≈ 0.02194440+1.009570.007°0.0001Alkyonides2004Cassini
12XLIX Anthe/ˈænθ/ 1.8≈ 0.0015197700+1.050890.1°0.0011Alkyonides2007Cassini
13XXXIII Pallene/pəˈln/ 5.0±1.2
(6 × 6 × 4)
≈ 0.05212280+1.153750.181°0.0040Alkyonides2004Cassini
14IIEnceladus/ɛnˈsɛlədəs/ 504.2±0.4
(513 × 503 × 497)
108022±101237950+1.3702180.010°0.0047Generates the E ring1789W. Herschel
15IIITethys/ˈtθɪs/ 1062±1.2
(1077 × 1057 × 1053)
617449±132294619+1.8878020.168°0.0001 1684G. Cassini
15aXIII Telesto/tɪˈlɛst/ 24.8±0.8
(33 × 24 × 20)
≈ 9.41294619+1.8878021.158°0.000leading Tethys trojan1980B. Smith, H. Reitsema, S. Larson, and J. Fountain
15bXIV Calypso/kəˈlɪps/ 21.4±1.4
(30 × 23 × 14)
≈ 6.3294619+1.8878021.473°0.000trailing Tethys trojan1980D. Pascu, P. Seidelmann, W. Baum, and D. Currie
18IVDione/dˈn/ 1122.8±0.8
(1128 × 1123 × 1119)
1095452±168377396+2.7369150.002°0.0022 1684G. Cassini
18aXII Helene/ˈhɛlɪn/ 35.2±0.8
(43 × 38 × 26)
≈ 24.46377396+2.7369150.212°0.0022leading Dione trojan1980P. Laques and J. Lecacheux
18bXXXIV Polydeuces/pɒliˈdjsz/ 2.6±0.8
(3 × 2 × 1)
≈ 0.03377396+2.7369150.177°0.0192trailing Dione trojan2004Cassini
21VRhea/ˈrə/ 1527.0±1.2
(1530 × 1526 × 1525)
2306518±353527108+4.5182120.327°0.001258 1672G. Cassini
22VITitan/ˈttən/ 5149.46±0.18
(5149 × 5149 × 5150)
134520000±200001221930+15.945420.3485°0.0288 1655C. Huygens
23VIIHyperion/hˈpɪəriən/ 270±8
(360 × 266 × 205)
5620±501481010+21.276610.568°0.123006in 4:3 resonance with Titan1848W. Bond
G. Bond
W. Lassell
24VIIIIapetus/ˈæpɪtəs/ 1468.6±5.6
(1491 × 1491 × 1424)
1805635±3753560820+79.321515.47°0.028613 1671G. Cassini
25XXIVKiviuq/ˈkɪviək/≈ 16≈ 2.7911294800+448.1649.087°0.3288Inuit group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
26XXIIIjiraq/ˈɪrɒk/ ≈ 12≈ 1.1811355316+451.7750.212°0.3161Inuit group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
27IX ♣†Phoebe/ˈfb/ 213.0±1.4
(219 × 217 × 204)
8292±1012869700−545.09173.047°0.156242Norse group1899W. Pickering
28XX ‡Paaliaq/ˈpɑːliɒk/ ≈ 22≈ 7.2515103400+692.9846.151°0.3631Inuit group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
29XXVIISkathi/ˈskɒði/≈ 8≈ 0.3515672500−732.52149.084°0.246Norse (Skathi) Group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
30XXVIAlbiorix/ˌælbiˈɒrɪks/≈ 32≈ 22.316266700+774.5838.042°0.477Gallic group2000M. Holman
31 S/2007 S 2≈ 6≈ 0.1516560000−792.96176.68°0.2418Norse group2007S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna, B. Marsden
32XXXVIIBebhionn/bɛˈvn/≈ 6≈ 0.1517153520+838.7740.484°0.333Gallic group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
33XXVIII ♦Erriapus/ɛriˈæpəs/≈ 10≈ 0.6817236900+844.8938.109°0.4724Gallic group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
34XLVIISkoll/ˈskɒl/≈ 6≈ 0.1517473800−862.37155.624°0.418Norse (Skathi) group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
35XXIX ‡Siarnaq/ˈsɑːrnək/≈ 40≈ 43.517776600+884.8845.798°0.24961Inuit group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
36LIITarqeq/ˈtɑːrkk/≈ 7≈ 0.2317910600+894.8649.904°0.1081Inuit group2007S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
37 S/2004 S 13≈ 6≈ 0.1518056300−905.85167.379°0.261Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
38LIGreip/ˈɡrp/≈ 6≈ 0.1518065700−906.56172.666°0.3735Norse group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
39XLIVHyrrokkin/hɪˈrɒkɪn/≈ 8≈ 0.3518168300−914.29153.272°0.3604Norse (Skathi) group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
40LJarnsaxa/jɑːrnˈsæksə/≈ 6≈ 0.1518556900−943.78162.861°0.1918Norse group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
41XXITarvos/ˈtɑːrvəs/≈ 15≈ 2.318562800+944.2334.679°0.5305Gallic group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
42XXVMundilfari/mʊndəlˈværi/≈ 7≈ 0.2318725800−956.70169.378°0.198Norse group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
43 S/2006 S 1≈ 6≈ 0.1518930200−972.41154.232°0.1303Norse (Skathi) group2006S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
44 S/2004 S 17≈ 4≈ 0.0519099200−985.45166.881°0.226Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
45XXXVIIIBergelmir/bɛərˈjɛlmɪər/≈ 6≈ 0.1519104000−985.83157.384°0.152Norse (Skathi) group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
46XXXINarvi/ˈnɑːrvi/ ≈ 7≈ 0.2319395200−1008.45137.292°0.320Norse (Narvi) group2003S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
47XXIIISuttungr/ˈsʊtʊŋɡər/≈ 7≈ 0.2319579000−1022.82174.321°0.131Norse group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
48XLIIIHati/ˈhɑːti/≈ 6≈ 0.1519709300−1033.05163.131°0.291Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
49 S/2004 S 12≈ 5≈ 0.0919905900−1048.54164.042°0.396Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
50XLFarbauti/fɑːrˈbti/≈ 5≈ 0.0919984800−1054.78158.361°0.209Norse (Skathi) group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
51XXXThrymr/ˈθrɪmər/≈ 7≈ 0.2320278100−1078.09174.524°0.453Norse group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
52XXXVIAegir/ˈ.ɪər/≈ 6≈ 0.1520482900−1094.46167.425°0.237Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
53 S/2007 S 3≈ 5≈ 0.0920518500≈ −1100177.22°0.130Norse group2007S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
54XXXIXBestla/ˈbɛstlə/≈ 7≈ 0.2320570000−1101.45147.395°0.5145Norse (Narvi) group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
55 S/2004 S 7≈ 6≈ 0.1520576700−1101.99165.596°0.5299Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
56 S/2006 S 3≈ 6≈ 0.1521076300−1142.37150.817°0.4710Norse (Skathi) group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
57XLIFenrir/ˈfɛnrɪər/≈ 4≈ 0.0521930644−1212.53162.832°0.131Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
58XLVIIISurtur/ˈsɜːrtər/≈ 6≈ 0.1522288916−1242.36166.918°0.3680Norse group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
59XLVKari/ˈkɑːri/≈ 7≈ 0.2322321200−1245.06148.384°0.3405Norse (Skathi) group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
60XIXYmir/ˈɪmɪər/≈ 18≈ 3.9722429673−1254.15172.143°0.3349Norse group2000B. Gladman, J. Kavelaars, et al.
61XLVILoge/ˈlɔɪ./≈ 6≈ 0.1522984322−1300.95166.539°0.1390Norse group2006S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna
62XLIIFornjot/ˈfɔːrnjɒt/≈ 6≈ 0.1524504879−1432.16167.886°0.186Norse group2004S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt, J. Kleyna

Unconfirmed moons

The following objects (observed by Cassini) have not been confirmed as solid bodies. It is not yet clear if these are real satellites or merely persistent clumps within the F Ring.

NameImageDiameter (km)Semi-major
axis (km)
Orbital
period (d)
PositionDiscovery year
S/2004 S 6 ≈ 3–5≈ 140130+0.61801uncertain objects around the F Ring2004
S/2004 S 3/S 4[g] ≈ 3–5≈ 140300≈ +0.6192004

Hypothetical moons

Two moons were claimed to be discovered by different astronomers but never seen again. Both moons were said to orbit between Titan and Hyperion.

  • Chiron which was supposedly sighted by Hermann Goldschmidt in 1861, but never observed by anyone else.
  • Themis was allegedly discovered in 1905 by astronomer William Pickering, but never seen again. Nevertheless, it was included in numerous almanacs and astronomy books until the 1960s.

References

Notes