S/2004 S 31
Moon of Saturn
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S/2004 S 31 is a natural satellite of Saturn and a member of the Inuit group. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan Kleyna on October 8, 2019 from observations taken between December 12, 2004 and March 22, 2007.[3]
| Discovery[1] | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Sheppard et al. |
| Discovery date | 2019 |
| Designations | |
| T522499[2] | |
| Orbital characteristics[2] | |
| 17402800 km | |
| Eccentricity | 0.242 |
| 853.80 days | |
| Inclination | 48.11° |
| Satellite of | Saturn |
| Group | Inuit group (Siarnaq) |
| Physical characteristics[2] | |
| 4 km | |
| 24.9 | |
| 15.6[3] | |
S/2004 S 31 is about 4 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 17.568 million km in 869.65 days, at an inclination of 48.8° to the ecliptic, with an eccentricity of 0.240.[3] The satellite is affected by the Kozai mechanism, and is noted to be the first known moon whose argument of periapsis oscillates around 270°.[4]