Calypso (moon)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by: | Pascu, Seidelmann, Baum and Currie |
| Discovery date: | March 13, 1980 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Semi-major axis: | 294,619 km |
| Eccentricity: | 0.000 |
| Orbital period: | 1.887802 d [1] |
| Inclination: | 1.56° (to Saturn's equator) |
| Satellite of: | Saturn |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions: | 30 × 23 × 14 km [1] |
| Mean radius: | 10.7 ± 1.0 km [1] |
| Rotation period: | synchronous |
| Axial tilt: | zero |
| Albedo: | 1.34 ± 0.10 (geometric)[2] |
Calypso (kə-lip'-soe, IPA: [kəˈlɪpso], Greek Καλυψώ) is a moon of Saturn. It was discovered by Pascu, Seidelmann, Baum and Currie in 1980 from ground-based observations, and was provisionally designated S/1980 S 25. In 1983 it was officially named after Calypso of Greek mythology. It is also designated as Saturn XIV.
Calypso is co-orbital with the moon Tethys, and resides in Tethys' trailing Lagrangian point (L5) 60 degrees behind Tethys. The moon Telesto resides in Tethys' leading Lagrangian point, 60 degrees ahead of Tethys.
Like many other small Saturnian moons and small asteroids it is irregularly shaped by overlapping large craters and appears to also have loose surface material capable of smoothing the appearance of craters. Its surface is one of the most reflective (at visual wavelengths) in the solar system, with a visual albedo of 1.34.[2] This very high albedo is the result of the sandblasting of particles from Saturn's E-ring, a faint ring composed of small, water-ice particle generated by Enceladus' south polar geysers.
Not to be confused with asteroid 53 Kalypso.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b C.C. Porco et al. (2006). "Physical characteristics and possible accretionary origins for Saturn's small satellites". Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 37: 768.
- ^ a b A. Verbiscer et al. (2007). "Enceladus: Cosmic Graffiti Artist Caught in the Act". Science 315: 815.
| Moons of Saturn | |
|---|---|
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Generally listed in increasing distance from Saturn
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| Ring shepherds | Pan · Daphnis · Atlas · Prometheus · S/2004 S 6 · S/2004 S 4 · S/2004 S 3 · Pandora |
| Co-orbitals | Epimetheus · Janus |
| Inner large and Trojan | Mimas · Methone · Pallene · Enceladus · Tethys (trojans Telesto, Calypso) · Dione (trojans Helene, Polydeuces) |
| Outer large | Rhea · Titan · Hyperion · Iapetus |
| Inuit group | Kiviuq · Ijiraq · Paaliaq · S/2004 S 11 · Siarnaq |
| Norse group | Phoebe · Skathi · S/2006 S 8 · S/2004 S 13 · S/2006 S 4 · S/2004 S 19 · Mundilfari · S/2006 S 6 · S/2006 S 1 · S/2004 S 17 · Narvi · S/2004 S 15 · S/2004 S 10 · Suttungr · S/2004 S 12 · S/2004 S 18 · S/2004 S 9 · S/2004 S 14 · S/2004 S 7 · Thrymr · S/2006 S 3 · S/2006 S 7 · S/2006 S 2 · S/2004 S 16 · Ymir · S/2006 S 5 · S/2004 S 8 |
| Gallic group | Albiorix · Erriapo · Tarvos |
