Siarnaq

Siarnaq
Composite of three images taken by the Cassini spacecraft in 2013, showing Siarnaq's location at ten-minute intervals[a]
Discovery[1][2][3]
Discovered byBrett J. Gladman et al.[b]
Discovery siteMauna Kea Obs.
Discovery date23 September 2000
Designations
Designation
Saturn XXIX
Pronunciation/ˈsiːɑːrnɑːk/
Named after
Siarnaq (Inuit mythology)
S/2000 S 3
AdjectivesSiarnaupian, Siarnaqian[c]
Orbital characteristics[4][5]
Epoch 17 December 2020 (JD 2459200.5)
0.1187382 AU (17,763,000 km)
Eccentricity0.5293834
+2.42 yr (+883.87 d)
35.08520°
Inclination43.80073° (to ecliptic)
40.96116°
79.59603°
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupInuit group (Siarnaq)
Physical characteristics
39.3±5.9 km[6]
10.18785±0.00005 h[7][8]
98°±15°[8]
−23°±15°[8]
Albedo0.050±0.017[6]
Spectral type
D (reddish)[9]
B−V=0.87±0.01[9]
V−R=0.48±0.01
V−I=1.03±0.01
20.1 (visible)[10][11]
10.9±0.05[6]

Siarnaq, also designated Saturn XXIX, is the second-largest irregular moon of Saturn. It was discovered on 23 September 2000 by a team of astronomers led by Brett J. Gladman. It was named after the Inuit goddess of the sea, Siarnaq, who is more commonly known as Sedna. Siarnaq is the largest member of Saturn's Inuit group of prograde irregular moons, which orbit far from Saturn in the same direction as the planet's rotation. The moons of the Inuit group are believed to have originated as fragments from the collisional breakup of a larger progenitor moon after it was gravitationally captured into orbit around Saturn several billion years ago.[12][13] Several other small Inuit group moons share similar orbits to Siarnaq, indicating that the moon had experienced another collision after forming from its progenitor.[12]


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  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference jpl-satdisc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Gazetteer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAUC7513 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference MPC127090 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference horizons was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Grav2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Denk2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Denk2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Grav2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference SheppardMoons was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Siarnaq-Denk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Sheppard2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bottke2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).