S/2020 S 4 Explained

S/2020 S 4
Discovery Ref: 
Discoverer:Edward Ashton, Brett J. Gladman
Discovered:2020
Orbit Ref: 
Eccentricity:0.495
Period:2.538 yrs (926.92 d)
Inclination:40.1°
Satellite Of:Saturn
Group:Gallic group
Abs Magnitude:17.0

S/2020 S 4 is the faintest natural satellite of Saturn. It was discovered by Edward Ashton, Brett J. Gladman, Jean-Marc Petit and Mike Alexandersen on June 24, 2020, and was announced on May 6, 2023 by the IAU Minor Planet Center after observations were collected over a long period of time to confirm the satellite's orbit that were taken between July 1, 2019 and July 9, 2021.

Orbit

S/2020 S 4 is a highly eccentric satellite with an eccentricity of 0.495, it orbits Saturn at an average distance of 18.2 million km and an orbital period of 2 and a half years, with an inclination of 40.1 to the ecliptic, suggesting that it belongs to the Gallic group. However, sometimes it's moon group is disputed like S/2019 S 6, and includes it to the Inuit group that it was a fragment piece of Siarnaq that broke off a long time ago in a few thousand year time-span.

Physical Characteristics

S/2020 S 4 is estimated to be 3 km in diameter and currently the faintest known moon of Saturn having an absolute magnitude of 17. Scott S. Sheppard and Tilmann Denk on the other hand, is estimated to be 2 km and 2 and a quarter km, respectively. If these estimates were true, it makes S/2020 S 4 one of the smallest known irregular moons of Saturn.