S / 2004 S 31

S / 2004 S 31
Central body	Saturn
Properties of the orbit
Major semi-axis	17,568,310 km
Periapsis	13,347,230 km
Apoapsis	21,789,389 km
eccentricity	0.2403
Orbit inclination	48.81 °
Orbital time	869.38 d
Mean orbital velocity	1.458 km / s
Physical Properties
Apparent brightness	24.9 likes
Medium diameter	4 km
Acceleration of gravity on the surface	≈ 0 m / s 2
Escape speed	≈ 0 m / s
discovery
Explorer	Scott S. Sheppard David C. Jewitt Jan T. Kleyna
Date of discovery	December 12, 2004

S / 2004 S 31 is one of the smaller outer moons of the planet Saturn .

Discovery and naming

S / 2004 S 31 was discovered on December 12, 2004 by astronomers Scott Sheppard and David Jewitt ( University of California ) as well as Jan Kleyna ( University of Hawaii ) on images taken from December 12, 2004 to March 22, 2007 with the 8.2 m Subaru telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatory . From this period 19 more moons of Saturn could be detected; the discovery was announced on October 8, 2019, the moon was given the provisional designation S / 2004 S 31 .

The Carnegie Institution for Science called with the announcement of the discovery on the public to to 6 December 2019 to send in suggestions for names for a total of 20 newly discovered moons. According to the group affiliation of the moons, names of giants from the Gallic , Nordic or Inuit mythology should be used.

The observation period of S / 2004 S 31 extends from December 12, 2004 to March 22, 2007; there are a total of 23 observations over a period of three years.

Track properties

S / 2004 S 31 orbits Saturn in two years and 139.4 days on a moderately elliptical, prograde orbit between 13,347,230 km and 21,789,389 km from its center. The orbit eccentricity is 0.240, the orbit is inclined 48.8 ° to the equator of Saturn .

The moon is part of the so-called Inuit group of Saturn moons, which orbit the planet with orbital inclinations between 45.1 ° and 49.9 ° and orbital eccentricities between 0.107 and 0.364 prograd.

Physical Properties

S / 2004 S 31 has a diameter of about 4 km. The absolute brightness of the moon is 15.6  ^m .

See also

• List of Saturn's moons
• List of moons of planets and dwarf planets
• List of moons from asteroids

Web links

• Astronews.com: Ring Planet's 20 new moons discovered October 8, 2019 (discovery)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ v ≈ π * a / period (1 + sqrt (1-e²))
2. ^ Scott S. Sheppard : Saturn Moons . Carnegie Institution for Science . Retrieved October 10, 2019.
3. ↑ MPC : MPEC 2019-T153: S / 2004 S 31 . IAU . October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.

further inside	Saturn moons	further outside
Siarnaq	Semi- major axis  (km) S / 2004 S 31 17,568,310	Skoll