Rhea

File:Rhea.jpg

Discovery

Discovered by

G. D. Cassini

Discovery date

December 23, 1672

Orbital characteristics

Semi-major axis

527,108 km

Orbital period

4.518212 days

Eccentricity

0.0012583

Average orbital speed

8.48 km/s

Inclination

0.345 degrees relative to Saturn’s equator

Satellite of

Saturn

Physical characteristics

Dimensions

1532.4 × 1525.6 × 1524.4 km

Mean radius

763.8±1.0 km

Surface area

7,337,000 km^2

Mass

(2.306518±0.000353)×10^21 kg

Mean density

1.236±0.005 g/cm³

Surface gravity

0.264 m/s^2

Moment of inertia factor

0.3911±0.0045[7] (estimate)

Escape velocity

0.635 km/s

Sidereal rotation period

4.518212 d (synchronous)

Axial tilt

0 degrees

Albedo

0.949±0.003 (geometric)

Surface temperature

Minimum surface temperature

53 K

Mean surface temperature

76 K

Max surface temperature

99 K

Miscellaneous info

Adjective

Rhean

Other names

None

Pronounced

RAY-ah

Habitable

No, far too cold and too far from the Sun

Rhea is a moon in the Saturn system that may have Rings. It is very far from the Sun, and it is the second largest moon of Saturn, only after Titan.

Description[]

Rhea’s Rings[]

Main Article: Rings of Rhea

On March 6, 2008, NASA announced that there may be a ring system around Rhea. If this is true, it will be the first moon discovered to have a ring system.

Moon Status[]

Rhea has a few companions, as the moons on it’s left and right are Polydeuces and Titan. Rhea is also a major moon of Saturn and is one of the circular bodies of the Solar System. It is also smaller than the Dwarf planet Pluto.