Telesto (moon)
Telesto as seen by the Cassini probe in October 2005
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Discovery
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| Discovered by |
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| Discovery date | April 8, 1980 |
| Semi-major axis | 294,619 km |
| Eccentricity | 0.000 |
| Orbital period | 1.887802 d [1] |
| Inclination | 1.19° (to Saturn's equator) |
| Satellite of | Saturn |
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Physical characteristics
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| Dimensions | 32.6×23.6×20 km³ [2] |
| Mean radius | 12.4 ± 0.4 km [2] |
| Rotation period | synchronous |
| Axial tilt | zero |
| Apparent magnitude | 18.7 [3] |
Telesto (
/tɨˈlɛstoʊ/ tə-LES-toh, Greek: Τελεστώ) is a moon of Saturn. It was discovered by Smith, Reitsema, Larson and Fountain in 1980 from ground-based observations, and was provisionally designated S/1980 S 13.[4] In the following months, several other apparitions were observed: S/1980 S 24,[5] S/1980 S 33,[6] and S/1981 S 1.[7]
In 1983 it was officially named after Telesto of Greek mythology.[8] It is also designated as Saturn XIII or Tethys B.
Telesto is co-orbital with Tethys, residing in Tethys' leading Lagrangian point (L4). This relationship was first identified by Seidelmann et al. in 1981.[9] Another moon, Calypso, resides in the other (trailing) Lagrangian point of Tethys, 60 degrees in the other direction from Tethys. (The Saturnian system has two additional trojan moons.)
[edit] Exploration
The Cassini probe performed a distant flyby of Telesto on October 11, 2005. The resulting images show that its surface is surprisingly smooth, devoid of small impact craters.
[edit] Citations
- ^ NASA Celestia[dead link]
- ^ a b Thomas 2010.
- ^ Hamilton.
- ^ IAUC 3466.
- ^ IAUC 3484.
- ^ IAUC 3605.
- ^ IAUC 3593.
- ^ Transactions of the International Astronomical Union, Vol. XVIIIA, 1982 (confirms Janus, names Epimetheus, Telesto, Calypso) (mentioned in IAUC 3872: Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn, September 30, 1983)
- ^ Seidelmann Harrington et al. 1981.
[edit] References
- Hamilton, Calvin J.. "Saturn's Trojan Moon Telesto". SolarViews.com. SolarViews. http://www.solarviews.com/eng/telesto.htm. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Marsden, Brian G. (April 10, 1980). "Satellites of Saturn" (discovery). IAU Circular 3466. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/03400/03466.html. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Marsden, Brian G. (June 6, 1980). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular 3484. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/03400/03484.html. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Marsden, Brian G. (April 16, 1981). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular 3593. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/03500/03593.html. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Marsden, Brian G. (May 18, 1981). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular 3605. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/03600/03605.html. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Marsden, Brian G. (September 30, 1983). "Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn". IAU Circular 3872. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/03800/03872.html. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
- Seidelmann, P. K.; Harrington, R. S.; Pascu, D.; Baum, W. A.; Currie, D. G.; Westphal, J. A.; Danielson, G. E. (1981). "Saturn satellite observations and orbits from the 1980 ring plane crossing". Icarus 47 (2): 282. Bibcode 1981Icar...47..282S. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(81)90172-X.
- Thomas, P. C. (July 2010). "Sizes, shapes, and derived properties of the saturnian satellites after the Cassini nominal mission". Icarus 208 (1): 395–401. Bibcode 2010Icar..208..395T. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.025. http://www.ciclops.org/media/sp/2011/6794_16344_0.pdf.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Telesto |
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