S/2004 S 4 facts for kids
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Joseph Spitale / Cassini Imaging Science Team. |
| Discovered on | 21 June, 2004 |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Semimajor axis | ~140,100 km. |
| Eccentricity | unknown, small |
| Orbital period | ~0.618 d |
| Inclination | unknown, small |
| Is a satellite of | Saturn |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mean diameter | 3–5 km |
| Rotation period | probably synchronous |
| Axial tilt | unknown |
| Albedo | unknown |
| Atmosphere | none |
S/2004 S 4 is the name given to something astronomers saw orbiting Saturn on June 21, 2004. It was spotted inside Saturn's F ring. Scientists are not sure if it is a real moon or just a temporary clump of dust and ice.
What is S/2004 S 4?
This object was first seen by Joseph Spitale and the Cassini Imaging Science Team. They were actually looking for another object called S/2004 S 3, which had been seen just five hours earlier. The discovery of S/2004 S 4 was announced on September 9, 2004.
Why is it a Mystery?
Even though astronomers tried hard to find S/2004 S 4 again, they haven't seen it clearly since. For example, on November 15, 2004, a special set of pictures was taken that should have shown the object if it was still there. But it wasn't found. This makes scientists think that S/2004 S 4 might have been a temporary group of dust and ice that broke apart or moved away.
Is it the Same as S/2004 S 3?
Some scientists also wonder if S/2004 S 3 and S/2004 S 4 might have been the same object. It's possible that this object was moving in an orbit that crossed the F ring. If it was orbiting at a slightly different angle than the F ring, it wouldn't actually crash through the ring material, even if it appeared to be inside and outside of it.
If S/2004 S 4 is a solid object, its size would be about 3 to 5 kilometers wide. This estimate is based on how bright it appeared when it was seen.
See also
In Spanish: S/2004 S 4 para niños
