Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by |
Scott S. Sheppard David C. Jewitt Jan T. Kleyna Brian G. Marsden |
Discovery date | 2004 |
Designations | |
Designation | Saturn XXXVII |
Pronunciation | /ˈbeɪvɪn, ˈbɛviɒn/ BAY-vin, BEV-ee-on |
Named after | Béibhinn |
S/2004 S 11 | |
Orbital characteristics [1] | |
17119000 km | |
Eccentricity | 0.469 |
−834.8 days | |
Inclination | 35.01° |
Satellite of | Saturn |
Group | Gallic group |
Physical characteristics [2] [3] | |
Mean diameter | 6+50% −30% km |
16.33±0.03 h | |
Albedo | 0.06 (assumed) |
24.1 | |
15.0 | |
Bebhionn ( /ˈbeɪvɪn, ˈbɛviɒn/), also known as Saturn XXXVII, is a small, irregular natural satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden on 4 May 2005 from observations taken between 12 December 2004 and 9 March 2005.
Bebhionn is about 6 kilometres in diameter and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 16,898 Mm in 820.130 days at an inclination of 41° to the ecliptic (18° to Saturn's equator) and with an eccentricity of 0.333. The rotation period of Bebhionn was measured at 16.33±0.03 hours by the ISS camera of the Cassini spacecraft. [2] [4] Bebhionn's light curve reflects an elongated shape with large variations in brightness, making it a leading candidate for a contact binary or binary moon. [3]
The moon was named in April 2007 after Béibhinn (Béḃinn), an early Irish goddess of birth, who was renowned for her beauty. In Irish, Béibhinn/Béḃinn is pronounced [ˈbʲeːvʲiːn̠ʲ] (southern accents, English approximation /ˈbeɪviːn/ BAY-veen) or [ˈbʲeːvʲɪn̠ʲ] (northern accents, English approximation /ˈbeɪvɪn/ BAY-vin). The spelling "bh" (older " ḃ") indicates that the second consonant is softened to a "v" sound. The extra "o" in the unusual spelling Bebhionn suggests that the final "nn" should be broad [n̪ˠ], but is not itself pronounced. The name is still pronounced as a compound (and thus sometimes spelled Bé Binn etc.), so the unstressed vowel is not reduced to a schwa.