Tarvos (moon)
Encyclopedia
Tarvos or Saturn XXI, is a prograde
irregular
satellite
of Saturn
. It was discovered by John J. Kavelaars
et al. on September 23, 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 4. The name, given in August 2003, is after Tarvos
, a deity
depicted as a bull
god carrying three cranes
alongside its back from Gaulish
mythology.
Tarvos orbits Saturn at an average distance of 18 million km in 926 days and is about 15 km
in diameter (assuming an albedo of 0.04). It has the most eccentric
orbit around Saturn.
It is a member of the Gallic group
of irregular satellites.
With a similar orbit and displaying a similar light-red colour, Tarvos is thought to have its origin in the break-up of a common progenitor
or to be a fragment of Albiorix
.
Prograde
Prograde can refer to:*Prograde or direct motion, in astronomy, a type of motion of astronomical bodies* Prograde metamorphism, in geology, describes mineral changes in rocks under increasing pressure and/or temperature conditions...
irregular
Irregular satellite
In astronomy, an irregular moon is a natural satellite following a distant, inclined, and often eccentric and retrograde orbit. They are believed to have been captured by their parent planet, unlike regular satellites, which form in situ....
satellite
Natural satellite
A natural satellite or moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body, which is called its primary. The two terms are used synonymously for non-artificial satellites of planets, of dwarf planets, and of minor planets....
of Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. It was discovered by John J. Kavelaars
John J. Kavelaars
John J. Kavelaars, better known as JJ Kavelaars, is a Canadian astronomer who was part of a team that discovered several moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune....
et al. on September 23, 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 4. The name, given in August 2003, is after Tarvos
Tarvos Trigaranus
Tarvos Trigaranus or Taruos Trigaranos is a divine figure who appears on a relief panel of the Pillar of the Boatmen as a bull with three cranes perched on his back...
, a deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
depicted as a bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
god carrying three cranes
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
alongside its back from Gaulish
Gaulish language
The Gaulish language is an extinct Celtic language that was spoken by the Gauls, a people who inhabited the region known as Gaul from the Iron Age through the Roman period...
mythology.
Tarvos orbits Saturn at an average distance of 18 million km in 926 days and is about 15 km
KM
KM, Km, or km may stand for:*Kilometre *Kernel methods*Kettle Moraine High School*Khmer language *Kuomintang , a centre-right political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan...
in diameter (assuming an albedo of 0.04). It has the most eccentric
Orbital eccentricity
The orbital eccentricity of an astronomical body is the amount by which its orbit deviates from a perfect circle, where 0 is perfectly circular, and 1.0 is a parabola, and no longer a closed orbit...
orbit around Saturn.
It is a member of the Gallic group
Saturn's Gallic group of satellites
The Gallic group is a dynamical grouping of the prograde irregular satellites of Saturn following similar orbits. Their semi-major axes range between 16 and 19 Gm, their inclinations between 35° and 40°, and their eccentricities around 0.53....
of irregular satellites.
With a similar orbit and displaying a similar light-red colour, Tarvos is thought to have its origin in the break-up of a common progenitor
or to be a fragment of Albiorix
Albiorix (moon)
Albiorix is a prograde irregular satellite of Saturn. It was discovered by Holman, et al. in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 11.Albiorix is the largest member of the Gallic group of irregular satellites....
.
External links
- David Jewitt pages
- Saturn's Known Satellites (by Scott S. SheppardScott S. SheppardScott S. Sheppard is an astronomer in the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institution for Science. Starting as a graduate student at the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii, he was credited with the discovery of many small moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and...
)