Paaliaq (moon)
Paaliaq is a non-spherical moon of Saturn. It was found by Brett J. Gladman, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, Hans Scholl, Matthew J. Holman, Brian G. Marsden, Philip D. Nicholson and Joseph A. Burns in early October 2000, and given the designation S/2000 S 2. It was named in August 2003 after a fictional shaman in the book The Curse of the Shaman, written by Michael Kusugak, who supplied Kavelaars with the names of giants from Inuit mythology that were used for other Saturnian moons.
Paaliaq is thought to be about 22 kilometres in diameter, and orbits Saturn at an average distance of 15,200,000 km in 687 days. It is a member of the Inuit group of non-spherical moons.
Together with Kiviuq and Siarnaq, Paaliaq has light-red colours, further supporting that the Inuit group might have been formed when a bigger body broken up.
Paaliaq (moon) Media
Paaliaq imaged by the CFHT on 23 September 2000
