All Four of Titan's Large Ringed Features Occur in the Equatorial Belt

Summary: All four of Titan's large ringed features occur in the equatorial belt, with two in the northern hemisphere and two in the southern hemisphere.

Detail of Titan VIMS (Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) Image shows four albedo features associated with Titan's four named large ringed features; (upper left) anti-Saturn Shangri-La (Guabonito, Veles), (upper right) Saturn-facing Senkyo (Paxsi) and (center) Saturn-facing Tsegihi (Nath): map credit NASA/JPL/University of Arizona, via IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

All four of Titan's large ringed features occur in the equatorial belt and pair as two Saturn-facing side and two anti-Saturn side occupants.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) defines large ringed features as "Cryptic Ringed features" on the Descriptor Terms (Feature Types) page of the international organization's online Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The Gazetteer lists Guabonito, Nath, Paxsi and Veles as Titan's four named large ringed features.

During its orbital period, Titan presents the same face to Saturn. The Saturnian moon's near side always faces Saturn. Its far side always faces away from Saturn. The equal lengths of Titan's rotation period and orbital period account for its same-sided disposition with respect to Saturn.

Two of the large ringed quartet reside on Titan's Saturn-facing and two occur on the Saturnian moon's anti-Saturn side. Guabonito and Veles are located on Titan's anti-Saturn side. Nath and Paxsi are sited on Titan's Saturn-facing side.

Although all four of Titan's large ringed features occur in the equatorial belt, they display even distribution as northern and southern equatorial belt occupants. Paxsi and Veles are positioned in the equatorial belt's northern latitudes. Guabonito and Nath are sited in the southern latitudes of the equatorial belt.

Bright and dark albedo features characterize Titan's surface. The International Astronomical Union has named 13 Titanean albedo features, of which five are bright and eight are dark. Adiri, Dilmun, Quivira, Tsegihi and Xanadu show high reflectivity. Aaru, Aztlan, Belet, Ching-tu, Fensal, Mezzoramia, Senkyo and Shangri-La exhibit low reflectivity.

One bright albedo feature hosts one of Titan's large ringed features. Nath is found in the southern hemisphere's middle latitude-centered bright albedo feature, Tsegihi.

Three large ringed features associate with dark albedo features. Paxsi is located on bright terrain in dark northwestern Senkyo, near Aaru, Senkyo's dark neighbor. Guabonito and Veles are sited in the eastern reaches of Shangri-La, near the dark albedo feature's border with bright Xanadu. Their coexistence in Shangri-La qualify Guabonito and Veles as the only named large ringed features to share the same albedo feature.

Guabonito's characteristics include residence as a southern equatorial belt occupant in a dark albedo feature, Shangri-La, on Titan's anti-Saturn side. Guabonito is centered at minus 10.9 degrees south latitude, 150.8 degrees west longitude, according to The International Astronomical Union's (IAU) online Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. It establishes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 10.2 degrees south and minus 11.5 degrees south, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 149.8 degrees west and 151.3 degrees west, respectively. Guabonito has a diameter of 55 kilometers.

Nath profiles as a southern equatorial belt occupant in a bright albedo feature, Tsegihi, on Titan's Saturn-facing side. Nath is centered at minus 30.5 degrees south latitude, 7.7 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach minus 29.5 degrees south and minus 31.6 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes touch 6.5 degrees west and 8.8 degrees west, respectively. Nath's diameter measures 95 kilometers.

Paxsi's characteristics include occupancy of the northern equatorial belt in a dark albedo feature, Senkyo, on Titan's Saturn-facing side. Paxsi is centered at 5 degrees north latitude, 341.2 degrees west longitude. It records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 6.7 degrees north and 3.7 degrees north, respectively. It mregisters its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 339.8 degrees west and 342.6 degrees west, respectively. Paxsi's diameter spans 120 kilometers.

Veles profiles as a northern equatorial belt occupant in a dark albedo feature, Shangri-La, on Titan's anti-Saturn side. Veles is centered at 2 degrees north latitude, 137.3 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes occur at 2.4 degrees north and 1.6 degrees north, respectively. It obtains easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 136.9 degrees west and 137.8 degrees west, respectively. Veles has a diameter of 45 kilometers.

Paxsi's diameter of 120 kilometers qualifies the northern equatorial, Saturn-facing, dark Shangri-La resident as the largest of Titan's four named large ringed features.

Nath's diameter of 95 kilometers qualifies the southern equatorial, Saturn-facing, bright Tsegihi resident as the second largest of Titan's four named large ringed features.

Guabonito's diameter of 55 kilometers qualifies the southern equatorial, anti-Saturn facing, dark Shangri-La resident as the third largest of Titan's four named large ringed features.

With a diameter of 45 kilometers, northern equatorial, anti-Saturn facing, dark Shangri-La resident Veles qualifies as the smallest of Titan's four named large ringed features.

Titan's four named large ringed features derive their names from goddesses of wisdom in four different cultures. Guabonito, the Taino Indian sea goddess of amulets, comes from North America's Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], Jamaica, Puerto Rico) Taino Indian (Antilles) sea goddess who taught the use of amulets. Europe's Ireland knows Nath as the ancient goddess of wisdom. The Aymara of South America's Bolivia and Peru honor Paxsi as their goddess of education, knowledge and the moon. Eurasia's Slavic nations recognize Veles as the god of housekeeping wisdom.

The International Astronomical Union approved the names of three of Titan's four named large ringed features in 2006 and the fourth name in 2010. Guabonito, Nath and Veles received official approval in 2006. Paxsi's name was approved in 2010.

Detail of Titan With ISS (Imaging Science Subsystem) Background shows coexistence of large ringed features Guabonito (lower center) and Vele (center right) in dark Shangri-La: map credit NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute, via IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Detail of Titan With ISS (Imaging Science Subsystem) Background shows coexistence of large ringed features Guabonito (lower center) and Vele (center right) in dark Shangri-La: map credit NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute, via IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/Titan_comp_ISSimage.pdf

Detail of Titan VIMS (Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) Image shows four albedo features associated with Titan's four named large ringed features; (upper left) anti-Saturn Shangri-La (Guabonito, Veles), (upper right) Saturn-facing Senkyo (Paxsi) and (center) Saturn-facing Tsegihi (Nath): map credit NASA/JPL/University of Arizona, via IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/titan_VIMS_comp.pdf

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