Astronomy:Anthe (moon)

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Short description: Moon of Saturn
Anthe
Anthe N1832831075 1.jpg
Anthe is the ellipsoid in the center
Discovery
Discovered byCassini Imaging Team [1]
Discovery dateMay 30, 2007
Designations
Designation
Saturn XLIX
Pronunciation/ˈænθ/[lower-alpha 1]
Named afterΆνθη Anthē
AdjectivesAnthean /ænˈθən/
Orbital characteristics[2]
197,700 km
Eccentricity0.0011
Orbital period1.05089 d
Average Orbital speed13.824 km/s
Inclination0.1° to Saturn's equator
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupAlkyonides
Physical characteristics
Dimensions1.8 km [3]
Mean radius0.9 km
Circumference≈ 5.7 km
Surface area10.18 km2
Volume3 km3
Mass1.5×1012 kg[4]
Mean density0.5 g/cm3
0.00012 m/s2 (0.12 mm/s2)
≈ 0.56 m/s (≈ 2 km/h)
Rotation periodassumed synchronous


Anthe /ˈænθ/ is a very small natural satellite of Saturn lying between the orbits of Mimas and Enceladus. It is also known as Saturn XLIX; its provisional designation was S/2007 S 4. It is named after one of the Alkyonides; the name means flowery. It is the sixtieth confirmed moon of Saturn.[5]

The designation S/2007 S 4 was also accidentally and incorrectly used for a different Saturnian satellite discovered later. The published discovery was retracted a few hours later and republished the next day under the correct name of S/2007 S 5.

It was discovered by the Cassini Imaging Team[1] in images taken on 30 May 2007.[2] Once the discovery was made, a search of older Cassini images revealed it in observations from as far back as June 2004. It was first announced on 18 July 2007.[2]

Discovery images of Anthe

Anthe is visibly affected by a perturbing 10:11 mean-longitude resonance with the much larger Mimas. This causes its osculating orbital elements to vary with an amplitude of about 20 km in semi-major axis on a timescale of about 2 Earth years. The close proximity to the orbits of Pallene and Methone suggests that these moons may form a dynamical family.

Material blasted off Anthe by micrometeoroid impacts is thought to be the source of the Anthe Ring Arc, a faint partial ring about Saturn co-orbital with the moon first detected in June 2007.[6][7]

References

Notes
  1. This name is too new to appear in dictionaries, but the OED has the analogous rhodanthe /roʊˈdænθiː/ from the same root.
Citations
Sources

External links