Psamathe (moon)
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| Discovery [1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Scott S. Sheppard David C. Jewitt J. Kleyna |
| Discovered | 2003 |
| Mean Orbital elements [2] | |
| Epoch June 10, 2003 | |
| Semi-major axis | 46.695 Gm |
| Eccentricity | 0.4499 |
| Inclination | 137.4° * |
| Orbital period | 9115.9 d (24.9 a) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mean diameter | 38 km[2] ** |
| Rotation period | ? |
| Albedo | 0.04 assumed[2] |
| Color | ? |
| Spectral type | ? |
| *to the ecliptic **based on the albedo | |
Psamathe (sam'-ə-thee, IPA: /ˈsæməθi/; Latin Psamathē from Greek Ψαμάθη), or Neptune X, is a retrograde irregular satellite of Neptune.
Psamathe was discovered by Scott S. Sheppard and David C. Jewitt in 2003. It orbits Neptune at a distance of about 46,695,000 km and remarkably takes almost 25 Earth years to make one orbit. It is about 38 kilometers in diameter.
It is named after Psamathe, one of the Nereids. Before the announcement of its name on February 3, 2007 (IAUC 8802), it was known by the provisional designation S/2003 N 1.
Given the similarity of the orbit's parameters with Neso (S/2002 N 4), it was suggested that both irregular satellites could have a common origin in the break-up of a larger moon.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Planetary Satellite Discovery Circumstances (JPL-SSD)
- ^ a b c d S. Sheppard, D. Jewitt and J. Kleyna A Survey for "Normal" Irregular Satellites Around Neptune: Limits to Completeness, The Astronomical Journal, 132 (2006), pp. 171–176. Preprint.
[edit] External links
- Neptune's Known Satellites (by Scott S. Sheppard)
- Ephemeris IAU-NSES
- Mean orbital parameters (NASA)
- IAUC 8193
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