Pandora (moon)

Template:Short description Template:About {{#invoke:infobox|infoboxTemplate | class = vcard | titleclass = fn org | title = Pandora | image = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=PIA21055 - Pandora Up Close.jpg|upright={{#if:||1.1}}|alt=}} | caption = View of Pandora's western hemisphere.Template:Efn | headerstyle = {{#if:|background-color:|background-color:#E0CCFF}} | labelstyle = max-width:{{#if:||11em}}; | autoheaders = y

| header1 = Discovery

| header10 = {{#if:|Designations|Designations}}

| header20 = Orbital characteristics{{#ifeq:|yes| (barycentric)}} Template:Sfn

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| header60 = Proper orbital elements

| label61 = Template:Longitem | data61 = {{#if: |{{{p_semimajor}}} AU}} | label62 = Template:Longitem | data62 = | label63 = Template:Longitem | data63 = | label64 = Template:Longitem | data64 = {{#if: |{{{p_mean_motion}}} deg Template:\yr}} | label65 = Template:Longitem | data65 = {{#if:|{{#expr:360/1 round 5}} yr
({{#expr:365.25*360/1 round 3}} d) }} | label66 = Template:Longitem | data66 = {{#if:|{{{perihelion_rate}}} arcsec Template:\yr }} | label67 = Template:Longitem | data67 = {{#if:|{{{node_rate}}} arcsec Template:\yr}}

| header70 = Template:Anchor{{#if:| Physical characteristics|Physical characteristics}}

| label71 = Dimensions | data71 = Template:Val km
(± Template:Val km)Template:Sfn Template:Rp | label72 = Template:Longitem | data72 = Template:Val Template:Sfn Template:Rp | label73 = Template:Longitem | data73 = | label74 = Template:Longitem | data74 = | label75 = Template:Longitem | data75 = | label76 = Flattening | data76 = | label77 = Circumference | data77 = | label78 = Template:Longitem | data78 = | label79 = Volume | data79 = Template:Val Template:Sfn Template:Rp | label80 = Mass | data80 = Template:Val Template:Efn | label81 = Template:Longitem | data81 = Template:Val Template:Sfn Template:Rp | label82 = Template:Longitem | data82 = Template:Val Template:Sfn Template:Rp | label83 = Template:Longitem | data83 = | label84 = Template:Longitem | data84 = Template:V2 km/s at longest axis
to Template:V2 km/s at poles | label85 = Template:Longitem | data85 = synchronous | label86 = Template:Longitem | data86 = | label87 = Template:Longitem | data87 = | label88 = Template:Longitem | data88 = zero | label89 = Template:Longitem | data89 = | label90 = Template:Longitem | data90 = | label91 = Template:Longitem | data91 = | label92 = Template:Longitem | data92 = | label93 = {{#if: |Template:Longitem |Albedo}} | data93 = 0.6 | label94 = Temperature | data94 = ≈ 78 K

| data100 = {{#if:|

Surface temp.	min	mean	max
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| header110 = Atmosphere

| below = {{#if:||Template:Reflist }}

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Pandora is an inner satellite of Saturn. It was discovered in 1980 from photos taken by the Voyager 1 probe and was provisionally designated Template:Nowrap.Template:Sfn In late 1985, it was officially named after Pandora from Greek mythology.Template:Sfn It is also designated as Template:Nowrap.Template:Sfn

Pandora was thought to be an outer shepherd satellite of the F Ring. However, recent studies indicate that it does not play such a role, and that only Prometheus, the inner shepherd, contributes to the confinement of the narrow ring.<ref name = "LakdawallaE2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Cuzzi2014">Template:Cite journal</ref> It is more heavily cratered than nearby Prometheus and has at least two large craters Template:Convert in diameter. The majority of craters on Pandora are shallow as a result of being filled with debris. Ridges and grooves are also present on the moon's surface.Template:Sfn

The orbit of Pandora appears to be chaotic as a consequence of a series of four 118:121 mean-motion resonances with Prometheus.Template:Sfn The most appreciable changes in their orbits occur approximately every 6.2 years,Template:Sfn when the periapsis of Pandora lines up with the apoapsis of Prometheus and the moons approach to within about Template:Convert. Pandora also has a 3:2 mean-motion resonance with Mimas.Template:Sfn

From its very low density and relatively high albedo, it seems likely that Pandora is a very porous icy body. However, there is much uncertainty in these values, so this remains to be confirmed.

GalleryEdit

Pandora - Voyager 2.jpg

Voyager 2 image of Pandora (August 1981).
Pandora PIA07632.jpg

View of the moon, taken during September 2005 flyby by Cassini.
Pandora - PIA07570.jpg

Pandora as seen from the Cassini probe in 2005; the rings of Saturn are in the background.
Pandora (moon) PIA 12690.png

Cassini captured this close view of Saturn's moon Pandora during the spacecraft's flyby on June 3, 2010.

ReferencesEdit

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NotesEdit

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CitationsEdit

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SourcesEdit

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External linksEdit

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Pandora at NASA's Solar System Exploration
Pandora at The Planetary Society

Template:Moons of Saturn Template:Saturn