Anthe
S2007 S 4 PIA08369.gif
Discovery
Discovered by Cassini Imaging Science Team
Discovery date May 30, 2007
Orbital characteristics[1]
197,700 km
Eccentricity 0.001
1.03650 d
Inclination 0.1° to Saturn's equator
Satellite of Saturn
Physical characteristics
Mean radius
≈ 1 km
Mass 5 ×1012 kg[2]
Mean density
unknown
unknown
assumed synchronous
unknown
Albedo unknown

Anthe (Template:PronEng AN-thee,[3] or as Greek Άνθη) 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 60th confirmed moon of Saturn.[4]

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

Anthe is visibly affected by a perturbing 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.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c C. Porco and the Cassini Imaging Team (2007-07-18). "S/ 2007 S 4". International Astronomical Union Circulars. 8857 (subscription required). 
  2. ^ assumed density of 1.2 g/cm³
  3. ^ This name is too new to appear in dictionaries, but the OED has the analogous rhodanthe /roʊˈdænθiː/.
  4. ^ Agle, D. C. (2007-07-19). "Saturn Turns 60". JPL (Cassini-Huygens). Retrieved 2007-07-19. 
  1. A new moon for Saturn a family affair
  2. From Dark Obscurity… A Tiny New Saturnian Moon Comes To Light