Polydeuces (moon)

Carolyn Porco, Cassini Imaging Science Team

Polydeuces (also Saturn XXXIV) is one of the smaller moons of the planet Saturn, which moves on the same orbit as the moon Dione.

Discovery

The discovery of Polydeuces on recordings of the Cassini spacecraft on 21 October 2004 was given on 8 November 2004 by Carolyn Porco known and the Cassini Imaging Science Team. Polydeuces first received the provisional designation S/2004 S 5 In January 2005, the moon was named after Polydeukes.

Path data

Polydeuces orbits Saturn at an average distance of about 377,200 kilometers in 2.74 days. He is one of two small moons on the same path as the great moon Dione. Polydeuces runs Dione at an angular distance of 60 ° behind the following Lagrangian L5. In the leading Lagrange point L4 of the moon Dione Helene runs ahead at an angular distance of 60 °.

Structure and physical data

Polydeuces has a diameter of about 4 km.

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