Saturn’s oddball moon

Phoebe is the most-studied irregular satellite.

By Liz Kruesi

Published: December 27, 2010

Phoebe is one of Saturn's most intriguing satellites.

Photo by NASA

February 2010’s “ Captured moons of the giant planets” overviews objects called irregular satellites. These bodies didn’t form with their host planets, but instead were captured early in the solar system. Scientists are performing simulations to try to determine how the planets caught — and held onto — these satellites.

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	Sun	Sun	Moon
RISE	—		—	PHASE	—
SET	—		—	DISK	—