Atlas

Atlas was discovered in 1980 by Richard Terrile through Voyager 1 spacecraft images and named after the Titan of Greek mythology who held the heavens. With a diameter of around 30 kilometers, Atlas displays a distinctive flattened saucer-like shape, likely influenced by its rotation and Saturn's tidal forces. Orbiting just beyond the A Ring within the Roche Division, Atlas serves as a "shepherd moon," sculpting the edges of the A Ring and maintaining nearby ring material's structure. Its interaction with the Prometheus moon influences the dynamics of the F Ring. Atlas is renowned for its equatorial ridge, formed by accumulating ring material around its equator, lending it a unique appearance akin to a flying saucer with a bulging center. The Cassini spacecraft provided vital insights into Atlas' features, interactions with Saturn's rings, and its contribution to ring dynamics.