Which Saturn moon was discovered in 1848 by the Bonds and William Lassell?

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Hyperion was the Saturn moon discovered in 1848 by William Cranch Bond, his son George Phillips Bond, and William Lassell. The Bonds and Lassell made independent observations, so all three are credited with its discovery.

The discovery took place in September 1848, shortly after astronomers had begun assigning mythological names to Saturn’s known satellites. Hyperion was later named for a Titan in Greek mythology, the brother of Cronus, the Greek counterpart of Saturn. It is also designated Saturn VII.

Hyperion is unusual among major Saturnian moons. It is irregular and potato-shaped rather than spherical, rotates chaotically, and has a remarkably porous, sponge-like surface covered in deep craters. Its largest dimensions are roughly 410 by 260 by 220 kilometers. A common mix-up is Rhea or Dione, both larger Saturn moons discovered earlier; Phoebe was discovered later, in 1898.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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