The Solar System The Inner Planets The Outer Planets Inner and Outer Planets Compared Solar System Formation Table of Planets Solar System's Largest Objects Space A to Z Your Weight in Space Stars Galaxies The Milky Way
The Inner Planets The Sun Mercury Venus Earth Mars
The Outer Planets The Moon Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Dwarf Planets Ceres Pluto Haumea Makemake Eris Comets Small BODIES Halley Hale-Bopp Shoemaker-Levy Asteroids Meteors
Exploring Space The Space Shuttle Voyager Space Missions List Astronomy Famous Astronomers History of Astronomy Hubble Space Telescope James Webb Telescope
Space A to Z Your Weight in Space Useful Links Contact Us Bob the Alien on Facebook Bob the Alien on Twitter
Neptune Menu  

Sao, a moon of Neptune


Classification
Natural satellite of Neptune
Average distance from Neptune
22,420,000 km
13,931,115 miles
Diameter across equator
44 km
27 miles
Time to orbit Neptune
2914 days
Year of Discovery
2002
Origin of Name
One of the 50 Nereids of Greek mythology, kind and helpful sea nymphs who are the daughters of Nereus and Doris. Sao was the Nereid of safe passage and rescue

Sao is a moon of Neptune. It has a diameter of 44 kilometres (27 miles). It orbits at an average distance of 22.4 million kilometres (13.9 million miles) from Neptune, taking 2,914 Earth days to complete a full journey around the planet. It is the eleventh moon in distance from Neptune.

Sao is classed as an irregular prograde moon. An irregular moon usually refers to a moon that has been captured by a planet's gravity rather than one which formed around it. Sao is also an irregular shape. A prograde moon is one that orbits in the same direction as its host planet's rotation. It's likely that Sao was originally an asteroid or an object that formed in the Kuiper Belt.


Why is Sao called Sao?

In Greek mythology, Sao is one of the Nereids, one of 50 daughters of Nereus and Doris. The Nereids are kind and helpful sea nymphs. Sao is seen as the Nereid who would ensure safe passage for sailors in stormy seas, or the rescue of them.

The moon's name was announced on 3rd February 2007. Its provisional name was S/2002 N 2. It may also be referred to as Neptune XI.


Twitter X logo Facebook logo Email icon
© 2000 - 2024 SULTANA BARBECUE