Naiad (moon)
Naiad as seen by Voyager 2 (elongation is due to smearing) | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Voyager Imaging Team |
| Discovery date | September 1989 |
| Designations | |
Designation | Neptune III |
| Pronunciation | /ˈneɪəd/ or /ˈnaɪæd/, /ˈneɪəd/ or /ˈnaɪəd/ |
Named after | pl. Ναϊάδες Nāïades |
| Adjectives | Naiadian /-ˈædiən/ |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 18 August 1989 | |
| 48 224.41 km | |
| Eccentricity | 0.0047 ± 0.0018 |
| 0.2943958 ± 0.0000002 d | |
| Inclination |
|
| Satellite of | Neptune |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Dimensions | (96±8) × (60±16) × (52±8) km |
| 33±3 km | |
| Mass | ~1.2×1017 kg (calculated) |
Mean density | 0.80±0.48 g/cm3 |
| synchronous | |
| zero | |
| Albedo | 0.072 |
| Temperature | ~51 K mean (estimate) |
| 23.91 | |
Naiad /ˈneɪəd/, (also known as Neptune III and previously designated as S/1989 N 6) named after the naiads of Greek legend, is the innermost satellite of Neptune and the nearest to the center of any gas giant with moons with a distance of 48,224 km from the planet's center. Its orbital period is less than a Neptunian day, resulting in tidal dissipation that will cause its orbit to decay. Eventually it will either crash into Neptune's atmosphere or break up to become a new ring.