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Encyclopedia > Saturn > Inner satellites I

THE INNER SATELLITES OF SATURN

"SHEPHERDS OF THE RINGS" : PAN (S-18)"



Credit : C. J. Hamilton/NASA

Origin of the name : click here.

Characteristics Values
distance to Saturn 136 600 km 
average size  20 km 
visual magnitude    ? 
revolution period 0.575 days
rotation period 0.575 days
inclination of the orbit 
on the equator of Saturn		  0°
eccentricity of the orbit  0
density (water=1)  ? 

Pan (Saturn XVIII) was discovered by Mark R. Showalter in 1990 after reexamination of Voyager ten years old images. Its revolution period is 14 hours. 

Pan is a "shepherd" satellite of Saturn's rings: its gravitational influence allows the ring close to Pan to keep its shape.