Contents

Skoll (moon)

Moon of Saturn

Skoll

Image of Skoll taken by Cassini on February 23, 2016
Discovery[1]
Discovered by	S. S. Sheppard D. C. Jewitt J. Kleyna
Discovery date	2006
Designations
Designation	Saturn XLVII
Pronunciation	English: /skɒl/ Old Norse: [skœlː] (approximately /skɜːrl/)
Named after	Sköll
Alternative names	S/2006 S 8
Orbital characteristics[2]
Semi-major axis	17560000 km
Eccentricity	0.418
Orbital period (sidereal)	869 days (2.38 yr)
Inclination	156°
Satellite of	Saturn
Group	Norse group
Physical characteristics[3][4]
Mean diameter	5+50% −30% km
Synodic rotation period	7.26±0.09? h
Albedo	0.06 (assumed)
Apparent magnitude	24.5
Absolute magnitude (H)	15.4

SkollorSaturn XLVII (provisional designation S/2006 S 8) is a retrograde irregular satelliteofSaturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt and Jan Kleyna on 26 June 2006 from observations taken between 5 January and 30 April 2006.^[2][5]

Skoll is about 5 kilometres in diameter (assuming an albedo of 0.06)^[3] and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 17.6 Gm (million km) in 869 days, following a highly eccentric and moderately inclined orbit.^[6] A rotation period of 7.26±0.04 h was obtained by Cassini–Huygens in 2016, but this is in strong disagreement with 2013 data for unknown reasons; one possible explanation is variation in the rotation speed and axis due to Milankovitch wobble.^[4]

It was named in April 2007 after Sköll, a giant wolf from Norse mythology, son of Fenrir and twin brother of Hati.^[7]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Skoll (moon).

• MPC: Natural Satellites Ephemeris Service
• Mean orbital parameters from NASA JPL
• David Jewitt's pages