Helene
Saturn XII - 1980S6


 

Helene was discovered by P. Laques and J. Lecacheus in 1980 through ground based observations. Helene is called a Dione Trojan satellite because it shares the same orbit as Dione at about 60 degrees ahead of its larger companion. Its diameter is about 36 x 32 x 30 kilometers (22 x 20 x 19 miles).

Helene Statistics
 Discovered byP. Laques & J. Lecacheus 
 Date of discovery1980 
 Mass (kg)
 Radius (km)18x16x15 
 Radius (Earth = 1)2.8222e-03 
 Mean density (gm/cm^3)
 Mean distance from Saturn (km)377,400 
 Rotational period (days)
 Orbital period (days)2.7369 
 Mean orbital velocity (km/sec)10.03 
 Orbital eccentricity0.005 
 Orbital inclination (degrees)0.2 
 Visual geometric albedo0.7 
 Magnitude (Vo)18.5 

Views of Helene

Helene
This image of Helene was acquired by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on August 25, 1981. (Credit: Calvin J. Hamilton)

 

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Copyright © 1997 by Calvin J. Hamilton. All rights reserved.