Chiron (hypothetical moon)

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This article is about the hypothetical moon of Saturn. For other uses, see Chiron (disambiguation).

Chiron is the name given to a supposed moon of Saturn sighted by Hermann Goldschmidt in 1861. It has since been determined that no such moon exists.

Hermann Goldschmidt announced the discovery of the ninth moon of Saturn in April 1861, which, he said, orbited between Titan and Hyperion. Goldschmidt's discovery was never confirmed, and Chiron was never seen again.

In 1898, William Henry Pickering discovered Phoebe, which is now considered the ninth moon of Saturn. Strangely, in 1905, Pickering believed that he had discovered another moon of Saturn, which, he reported, orbited the planet between Titan and Hyperion. He called this new moon Themis. Themis, like Chiron, was never sighted again.

An object, now classified as a centaur, which was discovered in 1977, is named 2060 Chiron.

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v • d • e
Moons of Saturn
Generally listed in increasing distance from Saturn. Temporary names in italics.
Ring shepherds
Co-orbitals
Inner large (and Trojan)
Mimas · Methone · Anthe · Pallene · Enceladus · Tethys (Telesto • Calypso) · Dione (Helene • Polydeuces)
Outer large
Inuit group
Norse group
Gallic group
Rings of Saturn · Cassini-Huygens · Themis · Chiron