Telesto (moon)

Trojan moon of Saturn

Bradford A. Smith
Harold Reitsema
Stephen M. Larson
John W. Fountain

Discovery dateApril 8, 1980Designations

Designation

Saturn XIIIPronunciation/təˈlɛstoʊ/

Named after

Τελεστώ Telestō

Alternative names

Tethys B
S/1980 S 13AdjectivesTelestoan /tɛləˈstoʊ.ən/ or Telestoian /tɛləˈstoʊ.iən/Orbital characteristics

Semi-major axis

295000 km^[1]Eccentricity0.001^[1]

Orbital period (sidereal)

1.887802 d^[1]Inclination1.19° (to Saturn's equator)Satellite ofSaturnGroupL₄ Tethys trojanPhysical characteristicsDimensions33.2 × 23.4 × 19.2 km
(± 0.6 × 0.6 × 0.4 km)^[2]^: 2

Mean diameter

24.6±0.6 km^[2]^: 2Volume7795 km³^[a]Mass≈ 4×10¹⁵ kg (assumed; unmeasured)^[b]

Mean density

≈ 0.5 g/cm³ (assumed; unmeasured)^[2]^: 3

Surface gravity

≈ 0.0011–0.0014 m/s²^[2]^: 3

Escape velocity

≈ 0.006 km/s at longest axis
to ≈ 0.007 km/s at poles

Axial tilt

zero

Apparent magnitude

18.7^[3]

Telesto /təˈlɛstoʊ/ is a moon of Saturn. It was discovered by Smith, Reitsema, Larson and Fountain in 1980 from ground-based observations, and was provisionally designated S/1980 S 13.^[4] In the following months, several other apparitions were observed: S/1980 S 24,^[5] S/1980 S 33,^[6] and S/1981 S 1.^[7]

In 1983 it was officially named after Telesto of Greek mythology.^[c] It is also designated as Saturn XIII or Tethys B.

Telesto is co-orbital with Tethys, residing in Tethys' leading Lagrangian point (L₄). This relationship was first identified by Seidelmann et al. in 1981.^[8] Another moon, Calypso, resides in the other (trailing) Lagrangian point of Tethys, 60 degrees in the other direction from Tethys. The Saturnian system has two additional trojan moons.

Exploration

The Cassini probe performed a distant flyby of Telesto on October 11, 2005. The resulting images show that its surface is surprisingly smooth, devoid of small impact craters.

Notes

^ Calculated from Telesto's volume-equivalent sphere radius of 12.3±0.3 km given by Thomas et al. (2020)^[2]^: 2
^ Calculated by multiplying Telesto's volume with its assumed density of 500 kg/m³.
^ Transactions of the International Astronomical Union, Vol. XVIIIA, 1982 (confirms Janus, names Epimetheus, Telesto, Calypso) (mentioned in IAUC 3872)

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c "Planetary Satellite Mean Orbital Parameters". Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Thomas & Helfenstein 2020.
^ Hamilton.
^ IAUC 3466.
^ IAUC 3484.
^ IAUC 3605.
^ IAUC 3593.
^ Seidelmann Harrington et al. 1981.

Sources

Hamilton, Calvin J. "Saturn's Trojan Moon Telesto". SolarViews.com. SolarViews. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (April 10, 1980). "Satellites of Saturn" (discovery). IAU Circular. 3466. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (June 6, 1980). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular. 3484. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (April 16, 1981). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular. 3593. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (May 18, 1981). "Satellites of Saturn". IAU Circular. 3605. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Marsden, Brian G. (September 30, 1983). "Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn". IAU Circular. 3872. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
Seidelmann, P. K.; Harrington, R. S.; Pascu, D.; Baum, W. A.; Currie, D. G.; Westphal, J. A.; Danielson, G. E. (1981). "Saturn satellite observations and orbits from the 1980 ring plane crossing". Icarus. 47 (2): 282. Bibcode:1981Icar...47..282S. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(81)90172-X.
Thomas, P. C. (July 2010). "Sizes, shapes, and derived properties of the saturnian satellites after the Cassini nominal mission" (PDF). Icarus. 208 (1): 395–401. Bibcode:2010Icar..208..395T. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2015-09-04.
Thomas, P. C.; Helfenstein, P. (July 2020). "The small inner satellites of Saturn: Shapes, structures and some implications". Icarus. 344: 20. Bibcode:2020Icar..34413355T. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.06.016. S2CID 197474587. 113355.

External links

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NASA - Telesto Profile
- NASA's Solar System Exploration
The Planetary Society: Telesto

Moons of Saturn

Listed in approximate increasing distance from Saturn

Ring moonlets

S/2009 S 1
Aegaeon

Ring shepherds

Pan
Daphnis
Prometheus
Epimetheus
Janus

Other inner moons

Atlas
Pandora

Alkyonides

Methone
Anthe
Pallene

Large moons
(with trojans)

Mimas
Enceladus
Tethys
- Telesto
- Calypso
Dione
- Helene
- Polydeuces
Rhea
Titan
Hyperion
Iapetus

Inuit group (12)

Kiviuq subgroup	S/2019 S 1 Kiviuq S/2005 S 4 S/2020 S 1 Ijiraq
Paaliaq subgroup	Paaliaq
Siarnaq subgroup	S/2004 S 31 Tarqeq Siarnaq S/2019 S 14 S/2020 S 3 S/2020 S 5

Gallic group (7)

Albiorix
Bebhionn
S/2007 S 8
Saturn LX
Erriapus
Tarvos
S/2020 S 4

Norse group (100)

Phoebe subgroup	Phoebe S/2006 S 20 S/2006 S 9

Skathi
S/2007 S 5
S/2007 S 7
S/2007 S 2
S/2004 S 37
S/2004 S 47
S/2004 S 40
S/2019 S 2
S/2019 S 3
S/2020 S 7
Skoll
S/2020 S 2
S/2019 S 4
S/2004 S 41
S/2004 S 42
Hyrrokkin
Greip
S/2004 S 13
S/2007 S 6
Mundilfari
S/2006 S 1
S/2004 S 43
S/2006 S 10
S/2019 S 5
Gridr
Bergelmir
Jarnsaxa
Narvi
Suttungr
S/2007 S 3
S/2004 S 44
S/2004 S 45
Hati
S/2004 S 17
S/2006 S 11
S/2004 S 12
Eggther
S/2006 S 13
S/2007 S 9
S/2019 S 7
S/2019 S 8
Farbauti
Thrymr
Bestla
S/2019 S 9
S/2004 S 46
Angrboda
S/2019 S 11
Aegir
Beli
S/2019 S 10
S/2019 S 12
Gerd
S/2019 S 13
S/2006 S 14
Gunnlod
S/2019 S 15
S/2020 S 6
S/2004 S 7
S/2006 S 3
S/2005 S 5
Skrymir
S/2006 S 16
S/2006 S 15
S/2004 S 28
S/2020 S 8
Alvaldi
Kari
S/2004 S 48
Geirrod
Fenrir
S/2004 S 50
S/2006 S 17
S/2004 S 49
S/2019 S 17
Surtur
S/2006 S 18
Loge
Ymir
S/2019 S 19
S/2004 S 21
S/2019 S 18
S/2004 S 39
S/2019 S 16
S/2004 S 53
S/2004 S 36
Thiazzi
S/2019 S 20
S/2006 S 19
Saturn LXIV
Fornjot
S/2004 S 51
S/2020 S 10
S/2020 S 9
Saturn LVIII
S/2019 S 21
S/2004 S 52

Outlier prograde
irregular moons

Tethys

Chasmata	Ithaca Chasma Ogygia Chasma
Montes	Scheria Montes
Craters	Melanthius Naubolos Odysseus Penelope
Lists	Features Quadrangles

Astronomy

Discovery	Giovanni Domenico Cassini Sidera Lodoicea
Trojans	Telesto (leading) Calypso (trailing)

Exploration

Past	Pioneer 11 Voyager 1 Voyager 2 Cassini–Huygens
Proposed	Titan Saturn System Mission (TSSM)

In fiction
In mythology

v t e Saturn
Outline
Geography	Dragon Storm Great White Spot Hexagon Magnetosphere Rings
Moons	S/2009 S 1 Ring moonlets Pan Daphnis Atlas Prometheus Pandora Epimetheus Janus Aegaeon Mimas Methone Anthe Pallene Enceladus Tethys Telesto Calypso Dione Helene Polydeuces Rhea Titan Hyperion Iapetus Inuit group Kiviuq Paaliaq Siarnaq Gallic group Albiorix Norse group Phoebe
Astronomy	Delta Octantis Saturn-crossing minor planets
Exploration	Cassini–Huygens (Huygens) timeline retirement Pioneer 11 Voyager program Voyager 1 Voyager 2
Related	Fiction The Day the Earth Smiled In Saturn's Rings (2018 documentary)
Category