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Encyclopedia > Saturn > Inner satellites VII

TEMPORARY SATELLITES OF SATURN 



Credit : NASA
An image from the Cassini spacecraft showing a "temporary" satellite


When examining images of Saturn's F ring sent by the Cassini spacecraft, we saw a small satellite at 1000 km outside the edge of the ring: it was named S/2004 S3. A little later, a new satellite was observed inside the F ring: it was named S/2004 S4. Both satellites were never seen again.

In fact, these appearances probably correspond to clusters of temporary material simulating satellites.