Rhea, also known as Saturn V, is a natural satellite of the outer planet Saturn. Rhea was discovered on December 23, 1672, by the astronomer Giovanni D. Cassini. It is the ninth-largest moon.
Surface features[]
The surface of Rhea is relatively smooth, with a large amount of medium-sized craters located throughout the surface.
| Geology of Rhea | |
|---|---|
| Craters | Aananin • Abassi • Adjua • Agunua • Ameta • Anguta • Arunaka • Atum • Awonawilona • Bulagat • Bumba • Burkhan • Chingaso • Con • Dangun • Djuli • Dohitt • Ellyay • Faro • Fatu • Gborogboro • Gmerti • Gucumatz • Haik • Haoso • Heller • Huracan • Imberombera • Inktomi "The Splat" • Inmar • Iraca • Izanagi • Izanami • Jumo • Karora • Khado • Kiho • Kuksu • Kuma • Kumpara • Leza • Lowa • Luli • Madumda • Maheo • Malunga • Mamaldi • Manoid • Melo • Mubai • Napi • Nishanu • Num • Nzame • Obatala • Olorun • Ormazd • Pachacamac • Pan Ku • Pedn • Pokoh • Pouliuli • Powehiwehi • Puntan • Qat • Samni • Seveki • Shedi • Sholmo • Taaroa • Tane • Tawa • Thunupa • Tika • Tirawa • Tore • Torom • Tsuki-Yomi • Tuwale • Uku • Wakonda • Wende • Whanin • Wuraka • Woyengi • Wulbari • Xamba • Xowalaci • Xu • Yu-Ti • Zicum
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| Crater Chains | Koykamou • Mouru • Onokoro • Puchou • Thebeksan • Wungaran |
| Chasms | Avaiki • Galunlati • Pulag • Vaupas • Yamsi |
| Fossae | Harahvaiti Fossa • Parun Fossa |
| Lineae | Kirinyaga Linea • Kunlun Linea |
Possible rings[]
On March 6, 2008, NASA announced that Rhea may have a tenuous ring system. This would mark the first discovery of rings around a moon. The rings' existence was inferred by observed changes in the flow of electrons trapped by Saturn's magnetic field as Cassini passed by Rhea.Dust and debris could extend out to Rhea's Hill sphere, but were thought to be denser nearer the moon, with three narrow rings of higher density. The case for a ring was strengthened by the subsequent finding of the presence of a set of small ultraviolet-bright spots distributed along Rhea's equator (interpreted as the impact points of deorbiting ring material). However, when Cassini made targeted observations of the putative ring plane from several angles, no evidence of ring material was found.
Gallery[]
| Moons of Saturn | |
|---|---|
| Ring Shepherds | S/2009 S 1 • Pan • Daphnis • Atlas • Prometheus • Pandora |
| Co-orbitals | Janus • Epimetheus |
| G Ring | Aegaeon |
| Alkyonides | Methone • Pallene • Anthe |
| Inner Large Moons | Mimas • Enceladus • Tethys • (Telesto • Calypso) • Dione • (Helene • Polydeuces) |
| Outer Large Moons | Rhea • Titan • Hyperion • Iapetus |
| Inuit | Kiviuq • Paaliaq • Siarnaq • Ijiraq • S/2005 S 4 • S/2019 S 1 • S/2020 S 1 • Tarqeq • S/2004 S 31 • S/2019 S 14 • S/2020 S 3 • S/2019 S 6 |
| Gallic | Albiorix • Bebhionn • S/2007 S 8 • S/2004 S 29 • Erriapus • Tarvos • S/2020 S 4 |
| Norse | Phoebe • S/2006 S 20 • S/2006 S 9 • Skathi • S/2007 S 5 • S/2007 S 7 • S/2007 S 2 • S/2004 S 37 • S/2004 S 47 • S/2004 S 40 • S/2019 S 2 • S/2019 S 3 • S/2020 S 7 • Skoll • S/2020 S 2 • S/2019 S 4 • S/2004 S 41 • S/2004 S 42 • Hyrrokkin • Greip • S/2004 S 13 • S/2007 S 6 • Mundilfari • S/2006 S 1 • S/2004 S 43 • S/2006 S 10 • S/2019 S 5 • Gridr • Bergelmir • Jarnsaxa • Narvi • Suttungr • S/2007 S 3 • S/2004 S 44 • S/2004 S 45 • Hati • S/2004 S 17 • S/2006 S 11 • S/2004 S 12 • Eggther • S/2006 S 13 • S/2007 S 9 • S/2019 S 7 • S/2019 S 8 • Farbauti • Thrymr • Bestla • S/2019 S 9 • S/2004 S 46 • Angrboda • S/2019 S 11 • Aegir • Beli • S/2019 S 10 • S/2019 S 12 • Gerd • S/2019 S 13 • S/2006 S 14 • Gunnlod • S/2019 S 15 • S/2020 S 6 • S/2004 S 7 • S/2006 S 3 • S/2005 S 5 • Skrymir • S/2006 S 16 • S/2006 S 15 • S/2004 S 28 • S/2020 S 8 • Alvaldi • Kari • S/2004 S 48 • Geirrod • Fenrir • S/2004 S 50 • S/2006 S 17 • S/2004 S 49 • S/2019 S 17 • Surtur • S/2006 S 18 • Loge • Ymir • S/2019 S 19 • S/2004 S 21 • S/2019 S 18 • S/2004 S 39 • S/2019 S 16 • S/2004 S 53 • S/2004 S 36 • Thiazzi • S/2019 S 20 • S/2006 S 19 • S/2004 S 26 • Fornjot • S/2004 S 51 • S/2020 S 10 • S/2020 S 9 • S/2004 S 34 • S/2019 S 21 • S/2004 S 52
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| Outlier Prograde Satellites | S/2006 S 12 • S/2004 S 24 |
| Spurious Moons | Chiron • Themis • S/2004 S 6 • S/2004 S 4 • S/2004 S 3 • Peggy |