Bebhionn
Bebhionn imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in May 2017
Discovery
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard
David C. Jewitt
Jan T. Kleyna
Brian G. Marsden
Discovery date2004
Designations
Designation
Saturn XXXVII
Pronunciation/ˈbeɪvɪn, ˈbɛviɒn/ BAY-vin, BEV-ee-on
Named after
Béibhinn
S/2004 S 11
Orbital characteristics [1]
17119000 km
Eccentricity0.469
−834.8 days
Inclination35.01°
Satellite ofSaturn
GroupGallic group
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter
6+50%
−30% km[2]
16.33±0.03 h[2]
24.1

    Bebhionn (/ˈbeɪvɪn, ˈbɛviɒn/), also known as Saturn XXXVII, is a small, irregular natural satellite of Saturn. Its discovery was announced by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan Kleyna, and Brian G. Marsden on 4 May 2005 from observations taken between 12 December 2004 and 9 March 2005.

    Bebhionn is about 6 kilometres in diameter and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 16,898 Mm in 820.130 days at an inclination of 41° to the ecliptic (18° to Saturn's equator) and with an eccentricity of 0.333. The rotation period of Bebhionn was measured at 16.33±0.03 hours by the ISS camera of the Cassini spacecraft.[2][3] Bebhionn's light curve reflects an elongated shape with large variations in brightness, making it a leading candidate for a contact binary or binary moon.[4]

    Name

    The moon was named in April 2007 after Béibhinn (Béḃinn), an early Irish goddess of birth, who was renowned for her beauty. In Irish, Béibhinn/Béḃinn is pronounced [ˈbʲeːvʲiːn̠ʲ] (southern accents, English approximation /ˈbeɪviːn/ BAY-veen) or [ˈbʲeːvʲɪn̠ʲ] (northern accents, English approximation /ˈbeɪvɪn/ BAY-vin). The spelling "bh" (older "ḃ") indicates that the second consonant is softened to a "v" sound. The extra "o" in the unusual spelling Bebhionn suggests that the final "nn" should be broad [n̪ˠ], but is not itself pronounced. The name is still pronounced as a compound (and thus sometimes spelled Bé Binn etc.), so the unstressed vowel is not reduced to a schwa.

    References

    1. ↑ S.S. Sheppard (2019), Moons of Saturn, Carnegie Science, on line
    2. 1 2 3 Denk, T.; Mottola, S. (2019). Cassini Observations of Saturn's Irregular Moons (PDF). 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Lunar and Planetary Institute.
    3. ↑ T. Denk, S. Mottola, et al. (2011): Rotation Periods of Irregular Satellites of Saturn. EPSC/DPS conference 2011, Nantes (France), abstract 1452.
    4. ↑ Denk, T.; Mottola, S.; Bottke, W. F.; Hamilton, D. P. (2018). "The Irregular Satellites of Saturn". Enceladus and the Icy Moons of Saturn (PDF). Vol. 322. University of Arizona Press. pp. 409–434. Bibcode:2018eims.book..409D. doi:10.2458/azu_uapress_9780816537075-ch020. ISBN 9780816537488.
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