Mundilfari
Discovery images of Mundilfari (circled) taken by the CFHT in September 2000
Discovery
Discovered byGladman et al.
Discovery date2000
Designations
Designation
Saturn XXV
PronunciationIcelandic: [ˈmʏntɪlvarɪ][1]
Named after
Mundilfari
S/2000 S 9
Orbital characteristics [2]
18685000 km (18360000 km[3])
Eccentricity0.210 (0.198[3])
−952.6 days (−928.8 days[3])
Inclination167.3° (150°[3])
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupNorse group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
7+50%
−30% km[3]
6.74±0.08 hours[3]
Spectral type
P
23.8[2]

    Mundilfari, or Saturn XXV, is a natural satellite of Saturn. It was discovered by Brett J. Gladman, et al. in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 9. Mundilfari is about 7 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 18,360 Mm in 928.806 days, at an inclination of 170° to the ecliptic (150° to Saturn's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.198.[3]

    Mundilfari may have formed from debris knocked off Phoebe by large impacts at some point in the Solar System's history. With a spectral slope of −5.0%/100 , Mundilfari is the bluest of all the moons studied by Grav and Bauer (2007), slightly more so than Phoebe (−2.5%/100 nm) and about as blue as Erriapus (+5.1%/100 nm) is red. Its rotation period is 6.74±0.08 hours, the second-fastest among all the irregular moons studied by Cassini–Huygens,[3] and it appears to be very elongated in shape.[4]

    It was named in August 2003 from Norse mythology, where Mundilfari is the father of the goddess Sól (Sun) and the god Mani (Moon).

    References

    1. ↑ The name is also found as Mundilföri ~ Mundilfœri. This would correspond to modern Icelandic Mundilfæri [ˈmʏntɪlvairɪ].
    2. 1 2 S.S. Sheppard (2019), Moons of Saturn, Carnegie Science, on line
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Denk, T.; Mottola, S. (2019). Cassini Observations of Saturn's Irregular Moons (PDF). 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lunar and Planetary Institute.
    4. ↑ Denk, T.; Mottola, S.; Bottke, W. F.; Hamilton, D. P. (2018). "The Irregular Satellites of Saturn". Enceladus and the Icy Moons of Saturn (PDF). Vol. 322. University of Arizona Press. pp. 409–434. Bibcode:2018eims.book..409D. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816537075-ch020. ISBN 9780816537488.
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