Helene

Helene, the small moon of Saturn

Helene (Helene S XII) is one of the many moons of Saturn, it was discovered on March 1, 1980 by Peter Lacquers, Raymond and Jean Despiau Lecacheux (Meudon Observatory) with the 1m telescope observatory Pic du Midi.
The precise number of satellites will probably never be known because the planet's rings contain important pieces of ice that are potentially small moons.
In March 2010, the Cassini spacecraft has photographed Helen, the Trojan small moon of Saturn in detail. The spacecraft came very close to Helen, about 20 000 km.
The dimensions of this icy moon are 36x32x30 km. Helen also has the distinction of turning around Saturn just ahead of a more massive moon, Dione, making it one of the four moon of Saturn to occupy an area of gravitational stability called Lagrange Point.
"Helen Moon orbit at the Lagrange point L4, 60 ° ahead of Dione. Saturn has moons that share the same orbit astonishment.

Tethys and its orbit is preceded and followed by Telesto equidistant by Calypso. Similarly, Dione is preceded by Helene and Polydeuces the small satellite, follows. Helen is regularly 400 to 000 km on their Dione orbit divided.

Image: On the picture can be seen against the smooth surface of Helena, a small moon of Saturn. Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI