Voyager 1 image of Atlas.

ATLAS - MOON OF SATURN

Atlas was a descendent of the Titans, a race of giants. The son of Iapetus and the nymph Clymene, Atlas was condemned by Zeus to support the heavens upon his shoulders. He is traditionally depicted supporting a globe. According to legend he was also the King of Atlantis (Atlantis means "land of Atlas"). Atlas was discovered by R. Terrile in 1980 using Voyager images.

Orbit

Atlas orbits Saturn at a distance of 137,670 kilometres, just beyond the edge of the A-ring and is very likely a shepherd satellite for the ring.

The orbits of Pan, Atlas, and Prometheus.

Physical properties

Atlas is irregular in shape, measuring 40 x 20 kilometres. Atlas' mass and density are unknown.

Interior

There is no information concerning the interior of Atlas.

Magnetic field

No magnetic field has been detected.

Surface

Atlas is a very bright object with an albedo of 0.9. As with Saturn's other very small moons, Pan, Telesto, Calypso and Helene, our knowledge of its surface is very limited. The best image of Atlas was acquired by Voyager 1 in which Atlas is revealed as a knobbly elongated body. But no surface detail can be seen.