Alvaldi (moon)

Alvaldi
Discovery[1]
Discovered bySheppard et al.
Discovery date2019
Designations
Named after
Alvaldi
Saturn LXV
S/2004 S 35
S5801a2[2]
Orbital characteristics[2]
21953200 km
Eccentricity0.182
−1208.1 days
Inclination176.4°
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupNorse group
Physical characteristics
5+50%
−30% km
24.6

Alvaldi (Saturn LXV), provisionally known as S/2004 S 35, is a natural satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan Kleyna on October 8, 2019 from observations taken between December 12, 2004 and February 25, 2006.[3] It was given its permanent designation in August 2021.[4] On 24 August 2022, it was officially named after Alvaldi, a jötunn from Norse mythology.[5] He was very rich in gold, and when he died his sons divided his inheritance by taking a mouthful each.[6][7]

Alvaldi is about 5 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 22.412 Gm in 1253.08 days, at an inclination of 177° to the ecliptic, in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.194.[3]

  1. ^ Discovery Circumstances from JPL
  2. ^ a b S.S. Sheppard (2019), Moons of Saturn, Carnegie Science, on line
  3. ^ a b "MPEC 2019-T157 : S/2004 S 35". minorplanetcenter.net. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  4. ^ "M.P.C. 133821" (PDF). Minor Planet Center. International Astronomical Union. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Names Approved for 10 Small Satellites of Saturn". usgs.gov. USGS. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  6. ^ Simek, Rudolf (1996). Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-85991-513-7.
  7. ^ Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-304-34520-5.