Albiorix (moon)

Irregular satellite
ref_discovery=Discovery Circumstances [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?sat_discovery (JPL)] ]
name=Albiorix - Saturn XXVI
discoverer=Holman "et al."
discovery_date=in 2000
epoch=2000 Feb. 26.00
ref_orb_elems=Mean orbital parameters [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?sat_elem from JPL] ]
semimajor=16.182
eccentricity=0.4770
inclination=34.207
period=783 d (2.15 yr)
diameter=32 km [http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~sheppard/satellites/satsatdata.html Scott Sheppard pages] ]
albedo=0.04 "assumed"
color="light red" (varying) B-V=0.89 R-V=0.50Grav, T.; Holman, M. J.; Gladman, B. J.; Aksnes, K.; [http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0301016 "Photometric survey of the irregular satellites"] , Icarus, 166 (2003), pp. 33-45]

Albiorix (pronEng|ˌælbiːˈɔrɨks "AL-bee-OR-iks)" 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. [ [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iauc/07500/07545.html IAUC 7545: "S/2000 S 11"] 2000 December 19 (discovery)] [ [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/mpec/K00/K00Y13.html MPEC 2000-Y13: "S/2000 S 11"] 2000 December 19 (discovery and ephemeris)] Gladman, B. J.; Nicholson, P. D.; Burns, J. A.; Kavelaars, J. J.; Marsden, B. G.; Holman, M. J.; Grav, T.; Hergenrother, C. W.; Petit, J.-M.; Jacobson, R. A.; and Gray, W. J.; [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v412/n6843/abs/412163a0.html "Discovery of 12 satellites of Saturn exhibiting orbital clustering"] , Nature, 412 (2001 July 12), pp. 163–166]

Albiorix is the largest member of the Gallic group of irregular satellites.

It was named in August 2003 from one of the Celtic names for the god of tribal unity, better known as Toutatis [ [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iauc/08100/08177.html IAUC 8177: "Satellites of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus"] 2003 August 8 (naming the moon)] .

Albiorix orbits Saturn at a distance of about 16 Gm and its diameter is estimated at 32 kilometers, assuming an albedo of 0.04.

The diagram illustrates its orbit in relation to other prograde irregular satellites of Saturn. The eccentricity of the orbits is represented by the yellow segments extending from the pericentre to the apocentre.

Given the similarity of the orbit's elements and the homogeneity of the physical characteristics with other members of the Gallic group, it was suggested that these satellites could have a common origin in the break-up of a larger moon.

Varying colours revealed recently suggest a possibility of a large crater, leading to an alternative hypothesis that Erriapus and Tarvos could be fragments of Albiorix following a near break-up collision with another body.Grav, T.; and Bauer, J.; [http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0611590 "A deeper look at the colors of Saturnian irregular satellites"] ]

References

*Ephemeris [http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/NatSats/NaturalSatellites.html from IAU-MPC NSES]

External links

* [http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~jewitt/irregulars.html David Jewitt pages]