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Encyclopedia > Saturn > Satellites > Enceladus

ENCELADUS : SATELLITE II OF SATURN



Credit : Calvin J. Hamilton/NASA


Enceladus (Saturn II) was discovered by Herschel in 1789. Its orbital period is 33 hours .

Covered with clean ice, it is the brightest object of the solar system.

Click here for an animation showing the Voyager flyby of Enceladus.

Characteristics Values
Semi-major axis in km  238 200 
Revolution period  1.370 days 
Rotation period  1.370 days
Orbital velocity 13 km/s
Inclination on Saturn equator 0.03°
Eccentricity of the orbit 0.0049
Equatorial diameter (Earth=1)  0.04 
Equatorial diameter 512 km
Visual magnitude of the opposition 11.7
Flattening  0 
Mass (Saturn=1)  1.3/10 000 000 
Density (water=1)  1.1
Escape velocity 212 m/s
Reflectivity (geometric albedo) 0.99
The highest peak ?
Deepest pit 1000m
Temperature at the surface -201°C
Atmosphere no
Composition ice majority 
silicates

Origin of the name : click here.