Bestla is a small irregular moon of Saturn, only about seven kilometres across, which moves on a distant, tilted and elongated orbit in the direction opposite to the planet's rotation. It was discovered in images taken in December 2004 by a team led by Scott Sheppard with telescopes on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, and the find was announced in 2005. Bestla belongs to the Norse group of Saturn's moons, which astronomers believe are fragments of a larger body captured by the planet long ago. It is named after a giantess in Norse mythology who was the mother of the god Odin and of his brothers Vili and Ve.
Before and after
- 12 December 2004Discovery of S/2004 S 7
- 12 December 2004Discovery of Hati
- 12 December 2004Discovery of Fornjot
- 13 December 2004Discovery of S/2004 S 17
- 13 December 2004Discovery of Bestla
- 13 December 2004Discovery of Fenrir
- 14 December 2004Construction of Millau Viaduct
- 26 December 20042004 Indian Ocean earthquake
- 2005Founding of FK Kauno Žalgiris
More in Universe & space
- 16 February 1948Discovery of Miranda
- 5 September 1977Launch of Voyager 1
- 4 March 1979Discovery of Metis
- 5 March 1979Discovery of Thebe
- 8 July 1979Discovery of Adrastea
- 16 June 1989Discovery of Proteus
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 21st century.