Eight-color photometry of Hyperion, Iapetus, and Phoebe

The Phoebe, Hyperion and Iapetus Saturn satellites are discussed in light of eight-color spectrophotometry, which together with observed V magnitudes and Voyager spacecraft-derived diameters yields geometric albedos of 0.07 for Iapetus, 0.06 for Phoebe, and maximum- and minimum-dimension based limits of 0.19 and 0.25 respectively for Hyperion. While both Hyperion and Iapetus have similar, very reddish spectra, it is noted that Hyperion has a much higher albedo than the dark side of Iapetus. The mean spectrum of Phoebe is much flatter, with a broad absorption feature near 1 micron. The determination of these optical differences between the surface materials of Phoebe and the dark side of Iapetus constrains the possible interaction modes between Phoebe and the other two satellites.