Aegaeon (moon)
 |
|
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Carolyn Porco |
| Discovery date | March 3, 2009 |
| Cassini Imaging Science Team | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch JD 2454467.00075444 TDB | |
| 167493.665±0.004 km | |
| Eccentricity | 0.00042277±0.00000004 |
| 0.80812 d | |
| Inclination | 0.0007°±0.6° |
| (linear drift) 445.475±0.007°/day | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | (0.70±0.05)×(0.25±0.06)×(0.20±0.08) km |
|
Mean radius
|
0.33±0.06 km |
|
Mean density
|
0.54+0.16 −0.13 g/cm3 |
| Albedo | < 0.15 |
Aegaeon (/iːˈdʒiːən/ ee-JEE-ən; or as Greek Αιγαίων), also Saturn LIII (provisional designation S/2008 S 1), is a natural satellite of Saturn. It is thought to be similarly smooth as Methone. It orbits between Janus and Mimas within Saturn's G Ring.
Images of Aegaeon were taken by Cassini on 15 August 2008, and its discovery was announced on 3 March 2009 by Carolyn Porco of the Cassini Imaging Science Team using the provisional designation S/2008 S 1.
Aegaeon was named after Ægæon, one of the hekatonkheires, on 5 May 2009.
Aegaeon orbits within the bright segment of Saturn's G Ring, and is probably a major source of the ring. Debris knocked off Aegaeon forms a bright arc near the inner edge, which in turn spreads to form the rest of the ring. Aegaeon orbits in a 7:6 corotation eccentricity resonance with Mimas, which causes an approximately 4-year oscillation of about 4 km in its semi-major axis, and a corresponding oscillation of a few degrees in its mean longitude. It orbits Saturn at an average distance of 167,500 km in 0.80812 days, at an inclination of 0.001° to Saturn's equator, with an eccentricity of 0.0002.
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