Bond and Lassell discover Hyperion, moon of Saturn

Background. William Cranch Bond, the first director of Harvard College Observatory, and his son George Phillips Bond, an American astronomer, jointly discovered Hyperion. William Lassell, an English merchant and astronomer known for his telescope improvements, independently co-discovered the moon. Lassell endorsed John Herschel's naming scheme, suggesting the name Hyperion, which aligns with the Titan Hyperion, the god of watchfulness.

Discovery. Hyperion was independently discovered in September 1848. William Lassell saw Hyperion two days after William Bond. A contemporary reference is MNRAS 9 (1848) 1. Lassell had already endorsed Herschel's naming scheme and suggested the name Hyperion in accordance with it, following the naming of previously known satellites.

Naming. The moon is named after the Titan Hyperion, the god of watchfulness and observation, and the elder brother of Cronus. This naming followed John Herschel's suggestion for the seven previously known satellites of Saturn in his 1847 publication. Lassell endorsed this scheme and suggested the name Hyperion.