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Collage of Saturn's smaller satellites (PIA01954)
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This family portrait shows the smaller satellites of Saturn as viewed by Voyager 2 during its swing through the Saturnian system. The following chart corresponds to this composite photograph (distance from the planet increases from left to right) and lists names, standard numerical designations and approximate dimensions (radii where indicated) in kilometers:
1980S26
Outer F-ring shepherd
radii: 120 X 100
1980S1
Leading co-orbital
radii: 220 X 160
1980S25
Trailing Tethys trojan
radius: 25
1980S28
Outer A shepherd
radius: 20
1980S27
Inner F-ring co-orbital
radii: 145 X 70
1980S3
Trailing Tethys trojan
radii: 140 X 100
1980S13
Leading Tethys trojan
radius: 30
1980S6
Leading Dione trojan
radius: 30
These images have been scaled to show the satellites in true relative sizes. This set of small objects ranges in size from small asteroidal scales to nearly the size of Saturn's moon Mimas. They are probably fragments of somewhat larger bodies broken up during the bombardment period that followed accretion of the Saturnian system. Scientists believe they may be mostly icy bodies with a mixture of meteorite rock. They are somewhat less reflective than the larger satellites, suggesting that thermal evolution of the larger moons "cleaned up" their icy surfaces.
The Voyager Project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Acquired: August 1981 |
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PIA 01954
Full Size 750x300:
JPEG 13 KB
PNG 61 KB
TIFF 89 KB
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