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How many moons Saturn facts?

How many moons Saturn facts?

Saturn has 82 moons. Fifty-three moons are confirmed and named and another 29 moons are awaiting confirmation of discovery and official naming. Saturn’s moons range in size from larger than the planet Mercury — the giant moon Titan — to as small as a sports arena.

How was Iapetus formed?

The Voyager Mountains reach as high as 6 miles (10 kilometers). The ridge wrapped around Iapetus’ equator may have formed early in its history, when the moon spun faster than it does today. It may also have been created from material deposited by a ring or moon that collapsed onto the satellite.

What is Iapetus orbital period?

79 days
Iapetus/Orbital period

What is the moon Iapetus made of?

Iapetus is probably the most unusual of Saturn’s moons. It has a low density similar to that of Rhea. This indicates that it contains very little rocky material and is composed mainly of water ice.

How big is the moon of Iapetus compared to Titan?

Iapetus has an estimated radius of 456.4 miles (734.5km). It is the eleventh biggest moon in our solar system. This makes it less than a third of the size of Saturn’s biggest moon, Titan. Iapetus orbits Saturn at a very far distance of 2,213,000 miles (3,561,000 kilometers).

What is the distance of Iapetus to Saturn?

Iapetus travels around Saturn at a distance of 2,213,000 miles (13,561,300 km) from Saturn, the most distant of its major satellites. Unlike other, closer moons, Iapetus suffers very little tidal heating from the massive planet.

How did the moon Iapetus get its name?

It is the third-largest moon in the system, and was discovered in 1671 by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini. Iapetus comes from the name of a Greek Titan, following along in the tradition of calling Saturn’s moons after the Titans.

Which is the third largest moon of Saturn?

Saturn’s third largest moon, Iapetus has a mean radius of 457 miles (736 kilometers) and a density only 1.2 times that of liquid water. It has been suggested that Iapetus (like Rhea) is three quarters ice and one quarter rock. Iapetus orbits at 2,213,000 miles (3,561,000 kilometers) from Saturn.