Aegir (moon) facts for kids
Aegir is a small moon that goes around the planet Saturn. It's also known as Saturn XXXVI. Scientists first saw Aegir in 2004, and its discovery was announced on May 4, 2005.
A team of astronomers, including Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden, found this moon. They used powerful telescopes to observe it between December 2004 and March 2005.
About Aegir
Aegir is a pretty small moon, only about 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) wide. That's roughly the size of a small town!
Aegir's Journey Around Saturn
Aegir travels very far from Saturn. Its average distance from the planet is about 19,618,000 kilometers (about 12.2 million miles). It takes Aegir a long time to complete one trip around Saturn – about 1026 days, which is almost three years!
Aegir's path around Saturn is not a perfect circle; it's a bit stretched out, like an oval. Also, its orbit is tilted quite a bit compared to Saturn's equator.
How Aegir Got Its Name
Aegir was officially named in April 2007. It got its name from Ægir, a giant in Norse mythology. In these old stories, Ægir was known as the personification of calm seas. He was believed to be able to soothe storms and bring peace to the ocean.
Ægir was also said to be the son of Fornjót. He had two brothers: Logi, who represented fire, and Kári, who represented wind.
See also
In Spanish: Aegir (satélite) para niños
