Phoebe

A confirmed moon in the Saturn system.

Named · Saturn IX

Snapshot 2026-09-09 · catalog 1.0.0

Explore Phoebe in Orrery

Physical measurements

Mean radius
106.5 ± 0.7 kmmeasured · Source estimate; uncertainty is the source-reported standard error when available.
GM · gravitational parameter
0.55479 ± 0.00108 km³ s⁻²measured · Source estimate; uncertainty is the source-reported standard error when available.
Mass
≈ 8.3123e+18 ± 1.6183e+16 kgderived · GM/G; independent standard uncertainties combined in quadrature. No uncertainty is invented when the source omits GM uncertainty.
Mean density
≈ 1.6428 ± 0.0326 g cm⁻³derived · JPL derives density from GM and volume-equivalent radius.

PCK reference shape axes: ≈ 109.4 × ≈ 108.5 × ≈ 101.8 km. These are model axes, not a mapped surface.

Orbit descriptions

Mean elements describe an average orbit. They are not positions for a chosen date.

SAT441 · Laplace plane · 2000-01-01.5 TDB
Semimajor axis
12,929,400 km
Sidereal period
550.304 days
Eccentricity
0.164
Inclination to reference plane
175.2°
Argument of periapsis
240.3°
Mean anomaly
308°
Ascending node
192.7°
Apsidal / nodal precession periods
468.321 / 741.483 years
Reference-plane pole RA / Dec
276 / 67.5°
Plane tilt to parent equator
26.7°
Reference center
Not specified in this summary sourceThe summary table identifies a parent system but does not explicitly specify the reference center for each solution. Do not infer a physical-primary center, especially for Pluto’s circumbinary moons.

Orientation

NAIF-pck00011 supplies a modeled pole and prime meridian in the J2000 frame. A dated sky also needs compatible trajectories.

Pole right ascension
356.9, 0, 0
Pole declination
77.8, 0, 0
Prime meridian
178.58, 931.639, 0
Reference epoch
JD 2451545 TDB

Identity & availability

Stable catalog ID
phoebe
JPL / NAIF satellite ID
609
Names & designations
Phoebe
Discovery / rediscovery years
1898W.H. Pickering

No validated dated trajectory admitted in catalog 1.0.0. Mean elements are not ephemerides.

No image or global texture admitted in this catalog release.No environment measurements admitted in this catalog release.

Sources & evidence

  1. JPL discovery circumstancestable tr[129] (zero-based); saturn / Phoebe · References: IAU WGPSN
  2. MPC planetary satellite listitems[10]; Saturn 9
  3. MPC satellite namesitems[119]; Saturn 9
  4. JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Saturn / Phoebe / NAIF 609; mean radius · References: 1
  5. JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Saturn / Phoebe / NAIF 609; GM · References: SAT441
  6. NIST CODATA 2022Table of universal constants, Newtonian constant of gravitationVerified numeric transcription; see acquisition notes in the download.
  7. JPL physical parameters#sat_phys_par; Saturn / Phoebe / NAIF 609; density · References: *
  8. JPL mean orbital elements#sat_elem row ID=126; Saturn / Phoebe / NAIF 609 · References: 36
  9. NAIF PCK 00011BODY609_POLE_RA/POLE_DEC/PM/NUT_PREC_*; BODY6_NUT_PREC_ANGLES; active data blocks
  10. NAIF PCK 00011BODY609_RADII; active data block

Full catalog, uncertainty and source manifests · All Saturn moons · Moon model limits