Iapetus is the third-largest moon of Saturn, and one of its most unusual. It was discovered by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini in 1671 and named after the Greek Titan Iapetus, the father of Atlas and Prometheus. Iapetus has a diameter of about 1,470 kilometers (914 miles) and orbits Saturn at a distance of about 3.5 million kilometers (2.2 million miles). It has a heavily cratered surface, with a large impact basin called the 'Cassini Regio' spanning about one-third of its surface. The Cassini Regio is characterized by a stark contrast between its dark, heavily cratered terrain and a much brighter, nearly featureless terrain. One of the most striking features of Iapetus is a ridge that runs along its equator, known as the 'Iapetus Ridge'. This ridge rises up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) above the surrounding terrain and extends for more than 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) around the moon's circumference. Its origin is still not well understood, but it may be the result of ancient tectonic activity or the buildup of material from impacts along the equator. Another unusual feature of Iapetus is the presence of a large mountain, named 'Mountains of Iapetus', that rises to a height of more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) near the moon's equator. The mountain is believed to be the result of the moon's rotation causing material to accumulate at its equator over time. Overall, Iapetus is a fascinating moon with many unique features that continue to intrigue astronomers and planetary scientists.
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