

TheInuit group is a dynamical grouping of theprogradeirregular satellites ofSaturn which follow similarorbits. Theirsemi-major axes range between 11 and 19 Gm, theirinclinations between 43° and 51°, and theireccentricities between 0.08 and 0.39. They take an average of 2 years to orbit Saturn.
TheInternational Astronomical Union (IAU) uses names taken fromInuit mythology for these moons.
The group appeared quite homogeneous in early observations, the satellites displayinglight-red colour (colour indices B−V = 0.79 and V−R = 0.51, similar to that of theGallic group)[1] and similar infrared spectra.[2] Recent observations, however, revealed thatIjiraq is distinctly redder thanPaaliaq,Siarnaq andKiviuq. In addition, unlike the other three, Ijiraq's spectrum does not display weak absorption near 0.7 μm. This feature is attributed to a possiblewater hydration.[3]
Thespectral homogeneity (with the exception of Ijiraq) is consistent with a common origin in the break-up of a single object but the dispersion of the orbital parameters requires further explanation. Secular resonances among the members could provide the explanation of the post-collisional dispersion.
The Inuit group can be separated into three subgroups that are each associated with the moonsKiviuq,Siarnaq, andPaaliaq. The Kiviuq subgroup is composed of 20 members and have semi-major axes between 11 million km and 13 million km, inclinations between 44° and 51°, and eccentricities between 0.25 and 0.39. The Siarnaq subgroup is composed of 15 members and have semi-major axes between 17 million km and 19 million km, inclinations between 43° and 49°, and eccentricities between 0.08 and 0.31. Paaliaq is by itself and orbits at a distance in between the two other subgroups.
The thirty six known members of the Inuit group are (sorted by date announcement):
| Name | Diameter (Km) | Semi-Major Axis (Km) | Period (days)[4] | Subgroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paaliaq | 30 | 14997900 | 686.94 | Paaliaq |
| Siarnaq | 39.3 | 17881100 | 895.58 | Siarnaq |
| Kiviuq | 19 | 11307500 | 449.13 | Kiviuq |
| Ijiraq | 15 | 11344600 | 451.43 | Kiviuq |
| Tarqeq | 7 | 17751000 | 884.99 | Siarnaq |
| S/2004 S 31 | 5 | 17497200 | 866.09 | Siarnaq |
| S/2019 S 1 | 5 | 11245400 | 445.51 | Kiviuq |
| S/2020 S 1 | 4 | 11338600 | 451.10 | Kiviuq |
| S/2020 S 3 | 3 | 18057200 | 908.19 | Siarnaq |
| S/2020 S 5 | 3 | 18391400 | 933.89 | Siarnaq |
| S/2019 S 6 | 4 | 18205500 | 919.71 | Siarnaq |
| S/2005 S 4 | 5 | 11324500 | 450.22 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 14 | 4 | 17853200 | 893.14 | Siarnaq |
| S/2004 S 54 | 4 | 11277500 | 447.14 | Kiviuq |
| S/2004 S 55 | 3 | 11294700 | 448.16 | Kiviuq |
| S/2004 S 58 | 5 | 18254500 | 920.80 | Siarnaq |
| S/2005 S 6 | 4 | 18107300 | 909.58 | Siarnaq |
| S/2006 S 23 | 3 | 18269700 | 921.86 | Siarnaq |
| S/2007 S 10 | 4 | 11364900 | 452.36 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 22 | 3 | 11305100 | 448.48 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 23 | 3 | 11310200 | 449.08 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 24 | 4 | 11360500 | 452.07 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 25 | 4 | 11329400 | 450.22 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 26 | 3 | 11390900 | 453.89 | Kiviuq |
| S/2019 S 32 | 5 | 17960500 | 898.71 | Siarnaq |
| S/2020 S 11 | 3 | 11295600 | 448.21 | Kiviuq |
| S/2020 S 12 | 3 | 11314500 | 449.33 | Kiviuq |
| S/2020 S 13 | 3 | 11415600 | 455.39 | Kiviuq |
| S/2020 S 19 | 3 | 17726700 | 881.04 | Siarnaq |
| S/2023 S 1 | 3 | 11205400 | 442.86 | Kiviuq |
| S/2023 S 2 | 3 | 11309900 | 449.05 | Kiviuq |
| S/2023 S 3 | 3 | 17646400 | 875.00 | Siarnaq |
| S/2023 S 6 | 3 | 11953100 | 487.91 | Kiviuq |
| S/2023 S 7 | 4 | 12133700 | 499.01 | Kiviuq |
| S/2023 S 19 | 3 | 17590300 | 870.92 | Siarnaq |
| S/2023 S 22 | 4 | 18577500 | 945.37 | Siarnaq |
Mean orbital parameters:from JPL