S/2004 S 12 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

S/2004 S 12 is a small, unnamed moon that goes around the planet Saturn. Scientists announced its discovery on May 4, 2005. It was found by a team of astronomers: Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden. They saw it in images taken between December 2004 and March 2005.

About S/2004 S 12

Size and Orbit

S/2004 S 12 is quite small, only about 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) wide. It travels around Saturn very far away, at an average distance of 19,906,000 kilometers (about 12.3 million miles).

It takes a long time for this moon to complete one trip around Saturn. It finishes one orbit in about 1048.5 days, which is almost three years! Its path around Saturn is also a bit tilted, about 164 degrees compared to the ecliptic (the path Earth takes around the Sun). Its orbit is also not a perfect circle; it's more of an oval shape.

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S/2004 S 12 Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.