Calypso and Tethys Collide?

[Neethis]

Hey all.

Ive been facinated by the moons of Saturn for a little while now, and recently I found this:



This was taken at aobut the closest approach I could get, with the two little moons just further than 1000Km from each other. I dont know how accurate Celestia's projections will be that far in the future (31st December 5025 ) but what do you all think would happen in such an encounter? Could they collide? Could Calypso be ejected from the Saturn system? Or would they sail harmlessly past each other?

[Hunter Parasite]

I'll be around in the next 3000 years to watch that.

[selden]

The formulae that Celestia uses are valid for fewer than +/- 3000 years, even less for some. After that, it reverts to using the EllipticalOrbit definitions in the object's SSC catalog entry. In other words, that particular close encounter is strictly imaginary.

Of course, some of Saturn's moons, like Janus and Epimetheus, do have frequent close encounters, but Celestia cannot yet model those.