Bebhionn (moon)
Moon of Saturn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bebhionn (/ˈbeɪvɪn/), also known as Saturn XXXVII, is a small, irregular natural satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden on 4 May 2005 from observations taken between 12 December 2004 and 9 March 2005.
Bebhionn imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in May 2017 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Scott S. Sheppard David C. Jewitt Jan T. Kleyna Brian G. Marsden |
| Discovery date | 2004 |
| Designations | |
Designation | Saturn XXXVII |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbeɪvɪn/ BAY-vin |
Named after | Béibhinn |
| S/2004 S 11 | |
| Orbital characteristics[1] | |
| 17119000 km | |
| Eccentricity | 0.469 |
| −834.8 days | |
| Inclination | 35.01° |
| Satellite of | Saturn |
| Group | Gallic group |
| Physical characteristics[2][3] | |
| 6+50% −30% km | |
| 16.33±0.03 h | |
| Albedo | 0.06 (assumed) |
Spectral type | B–V = 0.61 ± 0.10, V–R = 0.51 ± 0.13[4] |
| 24.1 | |
| 15.0 | |
Bebhionn is about 6 kilometres in diameter and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 16,898 Mm in 820.130 days at an inclination of 41° to the ecliptic (18° to Saturn's equator) and with an eccentricity of 0.469. The rotation period of Bebhionn was measured at 16.33±0.03 hours by the ISS camera of the Cassini spacecraft.[2][5] Bebhionn's light curve reflects an elongated shape with large variations in brightness, making it a leading candidate for a contact binary or binary moon.[3]
Name
The moon was named in April 2007 after Béibhinn (Béḃinn), an early Irish goddess of birth, who was renowned for her beauty. In Irish, Béibhinn/Béḃinn is pronounced [ˈbʲeːvʲiːn̠ʲ] (southern accents, English approximation /ˈbeɪviːn/ BAY-veen) or [ˈbʲeːvʲɪn̠ʲ] (northern accents, English approximation /ˈbeɪvɪn/ BAY-vin). The spelling "bh" (older "ḃ") indicates that the second consonant is softened to a "v" sound. The extra "o" in the unusual spelling Bebhionn suggests that the final "nn" should be broad [n̪ˠ], but is not itself pronounced. The name is still pronounced as a compound (and thus sometimes spelled Bé Binn etc.), so the unstressed vowel is not reduced to a schwa.