Astronomy:Skoll (moon)

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Short description: Moon of Saturn
Skoll
Skoll-Cassini.png
Image of Skoll taken by Cassini on February 23, 2016
Discovery[1]
Discovered byS. S. Sheppard
D. C. Jewitt
J. Kleyna
Discovery date2006
Designations
Designation
Saturn XLVII
PronunciationEnglish: /skɒl/
Old Norse: [skœlː] (approximately /skɜːrl/)
Named afterSköll
S/2006 S 8
Orbital characteristics[2]
17560000000 km
Eccentricity0.418
Orbital period869 days
(2.38 yr)
Inclination156°
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupNorse group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter5+50%
−30%
 km
[3]
Rotation period7.26±0.09? h[3]
Albedo0.04 (assumed)[4]


Skoll or Saturn XLVII (provisional designation S/2006 S 8) is a retrograde irregular satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt and Jan Kleyna on 26 June 2006 from observations taken between 5 January and 30 April 2006.[2][5]

Skoll is about 6 kilometres in diameter (assuming an albedo of 0.04) and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 17.6 Gm (million km) in 869 days, following a highly eccentric and moderately inclined orbit.[4] A rotation period of 7.26±0.04 h was obtained by Cassini–Huygens in 2016, but this is in strong disagreement with 2013 data for unknown reasons; one possible explanation is variation in the rotation speed and axis due to Milankovitch wobble.[6]

It was named in April 2007[7] after Sköll, a giant wolf from Norse mythology, son of Fenrir and twin brother of Hati.

References

  1. Discovery Circumstances from JPL
  2. 2.0 2.1 MPEC 2006-M45: Eight New Satellites of Saturn 26 June 2006 (discovery and ephemeris)
  3. 3.0 3.1 Denk, T.; Mottola, S. (2019). "Cassini Observations of Saturn's Irregular Moons". 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lunar and Planetary Institute. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2019/pdf/2654.pdf. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Scott Sheppard's pages
  5. IAUC 8727: Satellites of Saturn 30 June 2006 (discovery)
  6. Denk, T.; Mottola, S.; Bottke, W. F.; Hamilton, D. P. (2018). "The Irregular Satellites of Saturn". Enceladus and the Icy Moons of Saturn. 322. University of Arizona Press. pp. 409–434. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816537075-ch020. ISBN 9780816537488. Bibcode2018eims.book..409D. https://tilmanndenk.de/wp-content/uploads/DenkEtAl2018_IrregularMoons.pdf. 
  7. "IAUC 8826: Sats OF JUPITER, SATURN; RING OF URANUS; 2006 VV_2". http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/08800/08826.html. 

External links