Iapetus (moon)
Moon of Saturn / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Japetus" redirects here. For the mythological figure, see Iapetus. For the insect genus, see Japetus (planthopper).
"Saturn VIII" redirects here. For the rocket, see Saturn C-8.
Iapetus (/aɪˈæpətəs/) is the outermost of Saturn's large moons. With an estimated diameter of 1,469 km, it is the third-largest moon of Saturn and the eleventh-largest in the Solar System.[lower-alpha 1] Named after the Titan Iapetus, the moon was discovered in 1671 by Giovanni Domenico Cassini.
Quick Facts Discovery, Discovered by ...
Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | G. D. Cassini |
Discovery date | October 25, 1671 |
Designations | |
Designation | Saturn VIII |
Pronunciation | /aɪˈæpətəs/[1] |
Named after | Ἰαπετός Īapetus |
Adjectives | Iapetian /aɪəˈpiːʃən/[2] |
Orbital characteristics | |
3560820 km | |
Eccentricity | 0.0276812 [3] |
79.3215 d | |
Average orbital speed | 3.26 km/s |
Inclination |
|
Satellite of | Saturn |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 1,492.0 × 1,492.0 × 1,424 km [5] |
Mean radius | 734.4±2.8 km [5][6] |
6700000 km2 | |
Mass | 1.80565×1021 kg[6] |
Mean density | 1.0887±0.0127 g/cm3[6] |
0.223 m/s2 (0.0228 g) (0.138 Moons) | |
0.573 km/s | |
79.3215 d (synchronous) | |
zero | |
Albedo | 0.05–0.5[7] |
Temperature | 90–130 K |
10.2–11.9[8] | |
Close
A relatively low-density body made up mostly of ice, Iapetus is home to several distinctive and unusual features, such as a striking difference in coloration between its leading hemisphere, which is dark, and its trailing hemisphere, which is bright, as well as a massive equatorial ridge running three-quarters of the way around the moon.