Space Topics: Saturn
Pallene (S/2004 S2)
Second Moon Discovered in Cassini Images
Credit: NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute |
Size: Roughly 4 kilometers
Orbital radius: 211,000 kilometers - 3.50 Saturn radii - within
the E ring - between Mimas and Enceladus
Orbital period: 1.14 days - about 1/14 of Titan’s
Discovery: 2005 by C. Porco et al.
Pallene and nearby Methone were the first two moons to be discovered in
Cassini images. Little else is known about this tiny moon.
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Pallene discovery animation
S/2004 S2, now known as Pallene, was visible in 28 of 150 frames captured by Cassini on June 1, 2004 as it approached Saturn. A complete animation of the frames is available at the Planetary Photojournal.
Credit: NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute
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