Hyperion (moon)
Hyperion is a moon of Saturn discovered by William Cranch Bond, George Phillips Bond and William Lassell in 1848. It is distinguished by its irregular shape, its chaotic rotation, and its unexplained sponge-like appearance.
Physical characteristics
Hyperion is one of the largest highly irregular (non-spherical) bodies in the solar system (second to Proteus). The largest crater on Hyperion is approximately 121.57 km in diameter and 10.2 km deep. A possible explanation for the irregular morphology is that Hyperion is a fragment of a larger body that was broken by a large impact in the distant past, an event which has been linked to the enigmatic darkening of Iapetus.[1]
Name
The moon is named after Hyperion, a Titan in Greek mythology. It is also designated Saturn VII. The adjectival form of the name is Hyperionian.
Hyperion's discovery came shortly after John Herschel had suggested names for the seven previously-known satellites of Saturn in his 1847 publication Results of Astronomical Observations made at the Cape of Good Hope.[2] Lassell, who saw Hyperion two days after Bond, had already endorsed Herschel's naming scheme and suggested the name Hyperion in accordance with it.[3] He also beat Bond to publication.[4]
References
- ↑ Robert A. J. Matthews; The Darkening of Iapetus and the Origin of Hyperion, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 33 (September 1992), pp. 253–258
- ↑ As reported by William Lassell, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 42–43 1848 January 14)
- ↑ Lassell, W.; Discovery of a New Satellite of Saturn, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 8, No. 9 (November 1848), pp. 195–197
- ↑ Bond, W. C.; Discovery of a new satellite of Saturn, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 9, No. 1 (November 10, 1848) pp. 1–2