Farbauti (moon)

Farbauti

Discovery
Discovery date	2004
Designations
Designation	Saturn XL
Pronunciation	/fɑːrˈbaʊti/
Alternative names	S/2004 S 9
Orbital characteristics
Semi-major axis	20390000 km
Eccentricity	0.206
Orbital period (sidereal)	−1086.1 days
Inclination	156.4°
Satellite of	Saturn
Group	Norse group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter	5+50% −30% km
Apparent magnitude	24.7

Farbauti /fɑːrˈbaʊti/ or Saturn XL is a natural satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden on May 4, 2005, from observations taken between December 12, 2004, and March 9, 2005.

Farbauti is about 5 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 20,291 Mm in 1079.099 days, at an inclination of 158° to the ecliptic (131° to Saturn's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.209.

It was named in April 2007 after Fárbauti, a storm giant from Norse mythology, father of Loki.

References

• Institute for Astronomy Saturn Satellite Data
• Jewitt's New Satellites of Saturn page
• IAUC 8523: New Satellites of Saturn May 4, 2005 (discovery)
• MPEC 2005-J13: Twelve New Satellites of Saturn May 3, 2005 (discovery and ephemeris)
• IAUC 8826: Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn April 5, 2007 (naming the moon)