Solar System -
Saturn's MoonsGallic Group
The Gallic Group moons are Albiorix, Bebhionn, Erriapus, and Tarvos. They all orbit saturn in prograde orbits at similar distances of between about 16 and 19 million km. While the orbits overlap some of the Inuit orbits, the Gallic Group orbits are somewhat less inclined to the ecliptic, and are particularly eccentric. They are all thought to have originated in the break-up of a large single object. Alternatively, Erriapus and Tarvos may be fragments broken off from Albiorix
Albiorix
Bebhionn
Erriapus
Tarvos
Albiorix is the largest of the Gallic moons at about 32 km (20 miles) across, and the closest to saturn. It orbits Saturn at an average distance of 16.182 million km (10.06 million miles) every 783 days on a very eccentric orbit.
Bebhionn is quite small at about 6 km (3.75 miles) across, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 16.898 million km (10.5 million miles) every 820.13 days on quite an eccentric orbit.
Discovered in 2000 by the Mauna Kea Observatory on Hawaii, Erriapus is a small moon about 9 km (5.6 miles) in diameter. It orbits Saturn at an average distance of about 17.6 million km (10.9 million miles) in 871.2 days.
Tarvos is about 15 km (9.3 miles) in diameter and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 17.983 million km (11.2 million miles) in 926.2 days. Its orbit is the most eccentric of all the Gallic group at more than 0.53. The photograph from the Cassini probe was take from more than 25 million km (15.9 million miles) away.
Saturn's moons are grouped as follows. Select to see details of the moon or the group of moons:
Mimas • Enceladus • Tethys • Dione • Rhea • Titan • Iapetus • Hyperion • Norse Grp • Shepherd Moons • Alkyonides • Inuit Grp • Gallic Grp • Misc