Discovery of five irregular moons of Neptune

Matthew J. Holman (), J. J. Kavelaars, Tommy Grav, Brett J. Gladman, Wesley C. Fraser, Dan Milisavljevic, Philip D. Nicholson, Joseph A. Burns, Valerio Carruba, Jean-Marc Petit, Philippe Rousselot, Oliver Mousis, Brian G. Marsden and Robert A. Jacobson
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Matthew J. Holman: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
J. J. Kavelaars: National Research Council of Canada
Tommy Grav: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Brett J. Gladman: University of British Columbia
Wesley C. Fraser: McMaster University
Dan Milisavljevic: McMaster University
Philip D. Nicholson: Cornell University
Joseph A. Burns: Cornell University
Valerio Carruba: Cornell University
Jean-Marc Petit: Obervatoire de Besançon
Philippe Rousselot: Obervatoire de Besançon
Oliver Mousis: Obervatoire de Besançon
Brian G. Marsden: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Robert A. Jacobson: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Nature, 2004, vol. 430, issue 7002, 865-867

Abstract: Abstract Each giant planet of the Solar System has two main types of moons. ‘Regular’ moons are typically larger satellites with prograde, nearly circular orbits in the equatorial plane of their host planets at distances of several to tens of planetary radii. The ‘irregular’ satellites (which are typically smaller) have larger orbits with significant eccentricities and inclinations. Despite these common features, Neptune's irregular satellite system, hitherto thought to consist of Triton and Nereid, has appeared unusual. Triton is as large as Pluto and is postulated to have been captured from heliocentric orbit; it traces a circular but retrograde orbit at 14 planetary radii from Neptune. Nereid, which exhibits one of the largest satellite eccentricities, is believed to have been scattered from a regular satellite orbit to its present orbit during Triton's capture1,2. Here we report the discovery of five irregular moons of Neptune, two with prograde and three with retrograde orbits. These exceedingly faint (apparent red magnitude mR = 24.2–25.4) moons, with diameters of 30 to 50 km, were presumably captured by Neptune.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02832

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