Moons of Saturn

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Here is a list of natural satellites of Saturn. Currently as of July 2023, Saturn has 146 moons, the most of any planet in our solar system

**As with all lists, it will always remain incomplete. Please take some time to help complete the list. We will really appreciate your contribution!**

Moons of Mars

## Groups

### Moonlets

Generally not considered moons as their numbers are in the trillions. Although if a moonlet is large enough, one can become and be classified as a satellite.

### Ring Shepherds

In charge of keeping rings clean and sharp, these moons are generally small and unusually shaped. They orbit between the rings and create gaps.

### **Inner Large Satellites**

These satellites generally orbit within the E ring.

#### Examples

* Mimas
* Enceladus
* Dione
* Tethys

### Alkyonides

Three small moons orbit between Mimas and Enceladus: Methone, Anthe, and Pallene. Named after the Alkyonides of Greek mythology, they are some of the smallest moons in the Saturn system.

### Trojan Moons

Trojan moons are a unique feature only observed in the Saturnian system. A trojan body orbits at either the leading L4 or trailing L5 Lagrange point of a much larger object, such as a large moon or planet.

Tethys has two trojan moons. They are: Telesto and Calypso.

Dione also has two. They are: Helene and Polydueces.

### **Outer Large Satellites**

All of these satellites orbit beyond the E ring.

#### Examples

* Rhea
* Titan
* Hyperion
* Iapetus

### **Irregular**

Small distant, retrograde satellites usually made up of moon fragments and captured asteroids.

#### **Inuit**

The Inuit group is made up of 13 irregular satellites that are similar enough in their distances from the planet (190–300 radii of Saturn), their orbital inclinations (45–50°) and their colors that they can be considered a group. The Inuit group is further split into three distinct subgroups at different semi-major axes, and are named after their respective largest members.

##### Kiviuq

Has five members: Kiviuq, Ijiraq, S/2005 S 4, S/2019 S 1, and S/2020 S 1.

##### Siarnaq

Has seven members: Siarnaq, Tarqeq, S/2004 S 31, S/2019 S 6, S/2019 S 14, S/2020 S 3, and S/2020 S 5.

#### **Gallic**

The Gallic group includes at least six prograde outer moons that are similar enough in their distance from the planet (200–300 radii of Saturn), their orbital inclination (35–40°) and their color that they can be considered a group.

They are: Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, Tarvos, S/2004 S 29, S/2007 S 8, and S/2020 S 4.

#### The Outlier Prograde Satellites

These satellites of Saturn do not definitively belong to either the Inuit or Gallic groups.

They are: S/2004 S 24, and S/2006 S 12.

#### **Norse**

All 100 irregular, retrograde moons of Saturn are placed into the Norse group.

They are Aegir, Angrboda, Alvaldi, Beli, Bergelmir, Bestla, Eggther, Farbauti, Fenrir, Fornjot, Geirrod, Gerd, Greip, Gridr, Gunnlod, Hati, Hyrrokkin, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Loge, Mundilfari, Narvi, Phoebe, Skathi, Skoll, Skrymir, Surtur, Suttungr, Thiazzi, Thrymr, Ymir, and 69 unnamed satellites.

The Norse group may itself consist of several smaller subgroups, such as those centered on Phoebe, Hati, Thrymr, S/2004 S 36, and Thiazzi.

The largest of the Norse moons is Phoebe, then Ymir.

## List

### **Confirmed**

Group Label

Niche Label

### **Unconfirmed Satellites**

Unconfirmed Satellites
 S/2004 S 4 | ≈3-5 km
 S/2004 S 6 | ≈3-5 km

### Spurious

These satellites were supposedly discovered by astronomers but never actually found orbiting Saturn.

 Themis

### Hypothetical

In 2022, scientists of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology proposed the hypothetical former moon **Chrysalis**, using data from the Cassini–Huygens mission. Chrysalis would have orbited between Titan and Iapetus, but its orbit would have gradually become more eccentric until it was torn apart by Saturn. 99% of its mass would have been absorbed by Saturn, while the remaining 1% would have formed Saturn's rings.

### Temporary

Much like Jupiter and most other planets, asteroids can make infrequent passes inside Saturn's SOI and become captured.

The comet P/2020 F1 made a close approach to Saturn, and could have been captured.

## Gallery

TethysRheaMimasEnceladusDioneTitanIapetusHyperionFornjotPalleneMundilfariS/2004 S 3 and S 4SiarnaqPaaliaqKiviuqYmirPrometheusPhoebeMethoneHeleneHatiJanusHyrrokkinKariIjiraqBestlaEpimetheusErriapusBergelmirGreipBebhionnAtlasAntheDaphnisLogePanPandoraAlbiorix