Narvi (moon)
Encyclopedia
Narvi or Saturn XXXI, is a natural satellite
of Saturn
. It was discovered by a team of astronomers led by Scott S. Sheppard
in 2003, and given the temporary designation S/2003 S 1.
of 137° to the ecliptic
(109° to Saturn's equator), in a retrograde
direction and with an eccentricity of 0.320.
from Norse mythology
, also known as Narfi or Nari, a son of Loki
by Sigyn
who was killed to punish Loki for his crimes. The gods turned his brother Váli
into a slavering wolf who tore his throat out. His entrails were used to bind Loki to a stone slab for all eternity, or at least until Ragnarok
. The name was approved by the IAU Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature on January 21, 2005.
Natural satellite
A natural satellite or moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body, which is called its primary. The two terms are used synonymously for non-artificial satellites of planets, of dwarf planets, and of minor planets....
of Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. It was discovered by a team of astronomers led by Scott S. Sheppard
Scott S. Sheppard
Scott S. Sheppard is an astronomer in the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institution for Science. Starting as a graduate student at the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii, he was credited with the discovery of many small moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and...
in 2003, and given the temporary designation S/2003 S 1.
Description
Narvi is about 6.6 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 19,371,000 km in 1006.541 days, at an inclinationInclination
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction.-Orbits:The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit...
of 137° to the ecliptic
Ecliptic
The ecliptic is the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun. In more accurate terms, it is the intersection of the celestial sphere with the ecliptic plane, which is the geometric plane containing the mean orbit of the Earth around the Sun...
(109° to Saturn's equator), in a retrograde
Retrograde motion
Retrograde motion is motion in the direction opposite to the movement of something else, and is the contrary of direct or prograde motion. This motion can be the orbit of one body about another body or about some other point, or the rotation of a single body about its axis, or other phenomena such...
direction and with an eccentricity of 0.320.
Naming
It was named in January 2005 after NarviNarvi
Narvi may refer to:*Narfi, a character from Norse Mythology *Narvi , a moon of Saturn*Narvi , a dwarf in Middle-earth*Narvi , a river tug used as mine sweeper by the USSR in Finland...
from Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, also known as Narfi or Nari, a son of Loki
Loki
In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi...
by Sigyn
Sigyn
Sigyn is a goddess and wife of Loki in Norse mythology. Sigyn is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...
who was killed to punish Loki for his crimes. The gods turned his brother Váli
Váli (son of Loki)
In Norse mythology, Váli was a son of Loki. He is mentioned in the Gylfaginning section of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda. After the death of Baldr the Æsir chase down and capture Loki....
into a slavering wolf who tore his throat out. His entrails were used to bind Loki to a stone slab for all eternity, or at least until Ragnarok
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
. The name was approved by the IAU Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature on January 21, 2005.
External links
- IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature
- IAUC 8116: Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn April 11, 2003 (discovery)
- MPEC 2003-G39: S/2003 S 1 April 8, 2003 (discovery and ephemeris)
- IAUC 8471: Satellites of Saturn January 21, 2005 (naming the moon)