Fornjot (moon)

Fornjot /ˈfɔːrnjt/ or Saturn XLII is the second outermost natural satellite of Saturn (after S/2004 S 26). Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden on 4 May 2005 from observations taken between 12 December 2004, and 11 March 2005.

Fornjot
Discovery
Discovery date2004
Designations
Designation
Saturn XLII
Pronunciation/ˈfɔːrnjt/
Icelandic: [ˈfɔrnjoutʰ]
Named after
Fornjót
S/2004 S 8
Orbital characteristics[1]
25108000 km
Eccentricity0.206
−1490.9 days
Inclination170.4°
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupNorse group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
6+50%
−30%
 km
[2]
(7 or 9.5) ± 0.4? h[2]
24.6

    It is about 6 kilometres in diameter, and it orbits Saturn at an average distance of 23,609 Mm in 1354 d at an inclination of 168° to the ecliptic (160° to Saturn's equator) in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.186. It has an ambiguous rotation period of 7 or 9.5±0.4 hours.[2]

    Fornjot was named after Fornjót, a giant in Norse mythology.

    References

    1. S.S. Sheppard (2019), Moons of Saturn, Carnegie Science, on line
    2. Denk, T.; Mottola, S. (2019). Cassini Observations of Saturn's Irregular Moons (PDF). 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lunar and Planetary Institute.
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