Kiviuq (moon)
Kiviuq is a prograde irregular satellite of Saturn. It was discovered by J. J. Kavelaars et al. in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 S 5. It was named after Kiviuq, a hero of Inuit mythology.
Kiviuq imaged by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in September 2000 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | J. J. Kavelaars et al. |
| Discovery date | 18 November 2000 |
| Designations | |
Designation | Saturn XXIV |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɪvi.ʌk/ |
Named after | Kiviuq |
Alternative names | S/2000 S 5 |
| Adjectives | Kiviupian, Kiviuqian |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 2000 January 1.5 | |
Semi-major axis | 11.307 Gm |
| Eccentricity | 0.182 |
Orbital period (sidereal) | 449.13 d (1.23 yr) |
| Inclination | 48.9 |
| Satellite of | Saturn |
| Group | Inuit group (Kiviuq) |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | 38.42 × 17 × 7.64 km (modeled) |
Mean diameter | 17+50% −30% km |
Synodic rotation period | 21.82±0.22 h 21.97±0.16 h |
| Albedo | 0.06 assumed |
Spectral type | B−V=0.87 R−V=0.66/0.48 D-type |
| 22.0 | |
| 12.6 | |
Kiviuq is about 17 km in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 11.3 million kilometers in 449 days. It is a member of the Inuit group of irregular satellites. It is light red, and the Kiviupian (Kiviuqan) infrared spectrum is very similar to the Inuit-group satellites Siarnaq and Paaliaq, supporting the thesis of a possible common origin of the Inuit group in the break-up of a larger body.
Kiviuq is believed to be in Kozai resonance, cyclically reducing its orbital inclination while increasing the eccentricity and vice versa. Its current orbital elements overlap strongly with Phoebe's orbit, and the moons will likely eventually collide with each other.
The light curve amplitude of Kiviuq is large, varying in brightness by over 2 magnitudes. The large amplitude of Kiviuq suggests that it has an elongated shape, and may be a possible contact binary.