Telesto (moon)

Telesto
	Telesto as seen by the Cassini probe in October 2005
Discovery
Discovered by	Bradford A. Smith; Harold Reitsema; Stephen M. Larson; John W. Fountain;
Discovery date	April 8, 1980
Designations
Designation	Saturn XIII
Pronunciation	/təˈlɛstoʊ/
Named after	Τελεστώ Telestō
Alternative names	Tethys B; S/1980 S 13
Adjectives	Telestoan /tɛlɪˈstoʊ.ən/ or Telestoian /tɛlɪˈstoʊ.iən/
Orbital characteristics
Semi-major axis	294619 km
Eccentricity	0.000
Orbital period	1.887802 d
Inclination	1.19° (to Saturn's equator)
Satellite of	Saturn
Group	L4 Tethys trojan
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	32.6±1.0 km × 23.6±0.6 km × 20±0.6 km
Mean radius	12.4±0.4 km
Rotation period	synchronous
Axial tilt	zero
Apparent magnitude	18.7

Telesto /təˈlɛstoʊ/ is a moon of Saturn. It was discovered by Smith, Reitsema, Larson and in 1980 from ground-based observations, and was provisionally designated S/1980 S 13.^[4] In the following months, several other apparitions were observed: S/1980 S 24,^[5] S/1980 S 33,^[6] and S/1981 S 1.^[7]

In 1983 it was officially named after Telesto of Greek mythology.^[a] It is also designated as Saturn XIII or Tethys B.

Telesto is co-orbital with Tethys, residing in Tethys' leading Lagrangian point (L₄). This relationship was first identified by Seidelmann et al. in 1981.^[8] Another moon, Calypso, resides in the other (trailing) Lagrangian point of Tethys, 60 degrees in the other direction from Tethys. The Saturnian system has two additional trojan moons.

Exploration[]

The Cassini probe performed a distant flyby of Telesto on October 11, 2005. The resulting images show that its surface is surprisingly smooth, devoid of small impact craters.

Citations[]

^ Transactions of the International Astronomical Union, Vol. XVIIIA, 1982 (confirms Janus, names Epimetheus, Telesto, Calypso) (mentioned in IAUC 3872)

^ NASA Celestia Archived March 9, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Thomas 2010.
^ Hamilton.
^ IAUC 3466.
^ IAUC 3484.
^ IAUC 3605.
^ IAUC 3593.
^ Seidelmann Harrington et al. 1981.

References[]

Hamilton, Calvin J. "Saturn's Trojan Moon Telesto". SolarViews.com. SolarViews. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (April 10, 1980). "Satellites of Saturn" (discovery). IAU Circular. 3466. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (June 6, 1980). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular. 3484. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (April 16, 1981). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular. 3593. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (May 18, 1981). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular. 3605. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (September 30, 1983). "Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn". IAU Circular. 3872. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Seidelmann, P. K.; Harrington, R. S.; Pascu, D.; Baum, W. A.; Currie, D. G.; Westphal, J. A.; Danielson, G. E. (1981). "Saturn satellite observations and orbits from the 1980 ring plane crossing". Icarus. 47 (2): 282. Bibcode:1981Icar...47..282S. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(81)90172-X.
Thomas, P. C. (July 2010). "Sizes, shapes, and derived properties of the saturnian satellites after the Cassini nominal mission" (PDF). Icarus. 208 (1): 395–401. Bibcode:2010Icar..208..395T. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.025.

External links[]

Listen to this article (1 minute)

Menu

0:00

This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 15 January 2010, and does not reflect subsequent edits.

[mythology-8] Transactions of the International Astronomical Union, Vol. XVIIIA, 1982 (confirms Janus, names Epimetheus, Telesto, Calypso) (mentioned in IAUC 3872)

[NASACelestia-1] NASA Celestia Archived March 9, 2005, at the Wayback Machine

[FOOTNOTEThomas2010-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Thomas 2010.

[FOOTNOTEHamilton-3] Hamilton.

[FOOTNOTEIAUC_3466-4] IAUC 3466.

[FOOTNOTEIAUC_3484-5] IAUC 3484.

[FOOTNOTEIAUC_3605-6] IAUC 3605.

[FOOTNOTEIAUC_3593-7] IAUC 3593.

[FOOTNOTESeidelmann_Harrington_et_al._1981-9] Seidelmann Harrington et al. 1981.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[a]

[8]

hide v t Moons of Saturn
Listed in approximately increasing distance from Saturn as of epoch JD 2459200.5.
Ring shepherds	S/2009 S 1 Ring moonlets Pan Daphnis Atlas Prometheus Pandora
Co-orbitals	Epimetheus Janus
G Ring	Aegaeon
Alkyonides	Methone Anthe Pallene
Inner large (with trojans)	Mimas Enceladus Tethys Telesto Calypso Dione Helene Polydeuces
Outer large	Rhea Titan Hyperion Iapetus
Inuit group (7)	Kiviuq Ijiraq Paaliaq Saturn LX S/2004 S 31 Tarqeq Siarnaq
Norse group (46)	Phoebe Skathi S/2004 S 37 S/2007 S 2 Skoll Hyrrokkin Greip Mundilfari S/2004 S 13 (?) S/2006 S 1 S/2007 S 3 (?) Suttungr Saturn LIV Jarnsaxa Narvi Bergelmir Hati S/2004 S 17 (?) S/2004 S 12 (?) Saturn LIX Farbauti Thrymr Bestla S/2004 S 7 (?) Aegir Saturn LXI Saturn LV Saturn LVII Saturn LXII Saturn LVI S/2006 S 3 Saturn LXV Kari S/2004 S 28 Loge Saturn LXVI Fenrir Ymir Surtur Saturn LXIII S/2004 S 21 S/2004 S 39 S/2004 S 36 Fornjot Saturn LXIV Saturn LVIII
Gallic group (4)	Albiorix Bebhionn Erriapus Tarvos
Prograde outer satellites	S/2004 S 24
Rings of Saturn Cassini–Huygens Themis Chiron S/2004 S 6 S/2004 S 4 S/2004 S 3 In fiction

show v t Saturn
Outline of Saturn
Geography	Dragon Storm Great White Spot Hexagon Magnetosphere Rings
Moons	S/2009 S 1 Ring moonlets Pan Daphnis Atlas Prometheus S/2004 S 6 S/2004 S 4 S/2004 S 3 Pandora Epimetheus Janus Aegaeon Mimas Methone Anthe Pallene Enceladus Tethys Telesto Calypso Dione Helene Polydeuces Rhea Titan Hyperion Iapetus Kiviuq Ijiraq Phoebe Paaliaq Skathi S/2004 S 37 Albiorix S/2007 S 2 Saturn LX Bebhionn Erriapus Skoll S/2004 S 31 Siarnaq Tarqeq S/2004 S 13 Greip Hyrrokkin Jarnsaxa Tarvos Mundilfari S/2006 S 1 S/2004 S 17 Bergelmir Narvi Saturn LIV Suttungr Hati S/2004 S 12 Saturn LIX Farbauti Thrymr Saturn LXI Aegir S/2007 S 3 Bestla S/2004 S 7 Saturn LV Saturn LVI Saturn LVII Saturn LXII S/2006 S 3 Saturn LXVI Fenrir S/2004 S 28 Surtur Kari Saturn LXV Ymir S/2004 S 21 S/2004 S 24 Loge S/2004 S 36 S/2004 S 39 Saturn LXIII Saturn LXIV Fornjot Saturn LVIII
Astronomy	Delta Octantis Saturn-crossing minor planets
Exploration	Cassini–Huygens (Huygens) timeline retirement Pioneer 11 Voyager program Voyager 1 Voyager 2
Related	Fiction Moons The Day the Earth Smiled In Saturn's Rings (2018 documentary)

Discovery
Telesto as seen by the Cassini probe in October 2005
Discovered by	Bradford A. Smith Harold Reitsema Stephen M. Larson John W. Fountain
Discovery date	April 8, 1980
Designations
Designation	Saturn XIII
Pronunciation	/təˈlɛstoʊ/
Named after	Τελεστώ Telestō
Alternative names	Tethys B S/1980 S 13
Adjectives	Telestoan /tɛlɪˈstoʊ.ən/ or Telestoian /tɛlɪˈstoʊ.iən/
Orbital characteristics
Semi-major axis	294619 km
Eccentricity	0.000
Orbital period	1.887802 d ^[1]
Inclination	1.19° (to Saturn's equator)
Satellite of	Saturn
Group	L₄ Tethys trojan
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	32.6±1.0 km × 23.6±0.6 km × 20±0.6 km ^[2]
Mean radius	12.4±0.4 km ^[2]
Rotation period	synchronous
Axial tilt	zero
Apparent magnitude	18.7 ^[3]