Kari (moon) facts for kids
Kari, also known as Saturn XLV, is one of the many moons orbiting the giant planet Saturn. It was first spotted by scientists in 2006.
Kari is a small moon, only about 7 kilometers (about 4.3 miles) wide. It travels around Saturn at a very long distance, more than 22 million kilometers (about 13.7 million miles) away! It takes Kari a very long time to complete one trip around Saturn – about 1,243 days, which is more than three years!
Who Found Kari?
Kari was discovered by a team of astronomers. These scientists were Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden. They announced their discovery on June 26, 2006. They had been observing the skies between January and April of that same year.
Kari's Journey Around Saturn
Kari's path around Saturn is not a perfect circle. It's a bit stretched out, which scientists call an eccentric orbit. Its orbit is also tilted quite a bit compared to Saturn's equator. This tilt is called its inclination.
What's in a Name?
This moon was officially named Kari in April 2007. The name comes from Norse mythology. Kári is the son of Fornjót and is known as the personification of wind. Many of Saturn's moons are named after figures from Norse myths.