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
Fornjot imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in March 2014
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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