Anthe (moon)

Infobox Planet
name = Anthe


caption = Discovery images of Anthe
bgcolour = #a0ffa0
discovery = yes
discoverer = [http://ciclops.org/team/iss_team.php Cassini Imaging Science Team]
discovered = 2007 May 30
orbit_ref = cite journal | author=C. Porco and the Cassini Imaging Team| title= "S/ 2007 S 4"| journal=International Astronomical Union Circulars| date= 2007-07-18| volume= 8857 (subscription required)| pages=| url= http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iauc/08800/08857.html]
epoch =
semimajor = 197,700 km
eccentricity = 0.001
period = 1.03650 d
inclination = 0.1° to Saturn's equator
satellite_of = Saturn
physical_characteristics = yes
mean_radius = ≈ 1 km
mass = 5 e|12 kg [assumed density of 1.2 g/cm³]
density = unknown
surface_grav = unknown
rotation = assumed synchronous
axial_tilt = unknown
albedo = unknown

Anthe (pronEng|ˈænθiː respell|AN|thee, [This name is too new to appear in dictionaries, but the OED has the analogous "rhodanthe" IPA|/roʊˈdænθiː/.] or as Greek "Άνθη)" is a very small natural satellite of Saturn lying between the orbits of Mimas and Enceladus. It is also known as Saturn XLIX; its provisional designation was S/2007 S 4. It is named after one of the Alkyonides; the name means "flowery". It is the 60th confirmed moon of Saturn.cite web
date=2007-07-19
title="Saturn Turns 60"
publisher=JPL (Cassini-Huygens)
author=Agle, D. C.
url=http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features/feature20070719.cfm
accessdate=2007-07-19]

It was discovered by the [http://ciclops.org/team/iss_team.php Cassini Imaging Team] in images taken on May 30, 2007. Once the discovery was made, a search of older Cassini images revealed this small satellite in observations from as far back as June 2004. It was first announced on July 18, 2007.

Anthe is visibly affected by a perturbing mean longitude resonance with the much larger Mimas. This causes its osculating orbital elements to vary with an amplitude of about 20 km in semi-major axis on a timescale of about 2 Earth years. The close proximity to the orbits of Pallene and Methone suggests that these moons may form a dynamical family.

References

#

[http://www.scitech.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/frank.aspx "A new moon for Saturn a family affair"]
# [http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=3353 "From Dark Obscurity… A Tiny New Saturnian Moon Comes To Light"]

af:S/2007 S 4