Astronomy:Hati (moon)

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Short description: Moon of Saturn
Hati
Hati-cassini.png
Hati imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in November 2015
Discovery
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard
David C. Jewitt
Jan T. Kleyna
Brian G. Marsden
Discovery dateDecember 2004
Designations
Designation
Saturn XLIII
S/2004 S 14
Orbital characteristics[1]
19856000 km
Eccentricity0.372
Orbital period−1038.7 days
Inclination165.8°
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupNorse group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter5+50%
−30%
 km
[2]
Rotation period5.45±0.04 h[2]
Apparent magnitude24.4


Hati /ˈhɑːti/ or Saturn XLIII is a natural satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden on 4 May 2005, from observations taken between 12 December 2004 and 11 March 2005.

Hati is about 6 kilometers in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 20,303 Mm in 1039[3] days, at an inclination of 163° to the ecliptic (165° to Saturn's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.291, quite similar to Mundilfari's orbit. In March 2013, the synodic rotational period was measured by Cassini to about 5.45±0.04 hours. This is the fastest known rotation of all of Saturn's moons,[2] and in fact the fastest known among all moons (including asteroid moons) for which a rotation period has been reliably measured. Like Mundilfari, it is very elongated in shape.[4]

It was named in April 2007 after Hati, a giant wolf from Norse mythology, son of Fenrisúlfr and twin brother of Sköll.

References