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Discovery | |
Discovered by | Cassini Imaging Science Team |
Discovered on | June1, 2004 |
Orbital characteristics[1] | |
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Semimajor axis | 194,440 ± 20 km |
Eccentricity | 0.0001 |
Orbital period | 1.009573975 d |
Inclination (to Saturn's equator) |
0.007 ± 0.003° |
Is a satellite of | Saturn |
Physical characteristics | |
Mean diameter | ≈ 3 km |
Mass | 0.7 − 3 ×1013 kg [2] |
Mean density | unknown |
Surface gravity | unknown |
Rotation period | synchronous |
Axial tilt | unknown |
Albedo | unknown |
Atmosphere | none |
Methone (Template:PronEng mi-THOH-nee, or as in Greek Μεθωνη) is a very small natural satellite of Saturn lying between the orbits of Mimas and Enceladus.
It was first seen by the Cassini Imaging Team[3][4] and given the temporary designation S/2004 S 1. Methone is also named Saturn XXXII.
Methone 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, and 5° in longitude on a timescale of about 450 days. Eccentricity also varies on different timescales between 0.0011 and 0.0037, and inclination between about 0.003° and 0.020°.[1]
The name Methone was approved by the IAU Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature on January 21, 2005.[5] It was ratified at the IAU General Assembly in 2006. Methone was one of the Alkyonides, the seven beautiful daughters of the Giant Alkyoneus.[6]
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