The Moons of Uranus

The 27 confirmed natural satellites of Uranus, are unique in the Solar System in that their names are derived not from mythology but rather from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. The five major moons have sufficient mass to have attained a spherical shape:

Miranda has a diameter of 470 kilometers. Its surface a mixture of old and new is etched with deep canyons and has a surface temperature of -187 degrees Celsius.

Ariel has a mean diameter of 1,158 km and is composed of 70 percent various ices and 30 percent silicate rock. The surface is covered in Mars like canyons and vast cratered plains.

Umbriel has a diameter of 1,169 km and is composed of water ice and silicate rock. There is very little geological activity. Its most prominent surface feature is a large bright ring probably an impact crater.

Titania has a diameter of 1,578 km with a physical makeup of water ice, rock and methane compounds. Its surface is scarred by a huge 1600 km long canyon rivaling Valles Marineris on Mars.

Oberon has a diameter of 1,522 kilometers, its surface icy heavily cratered with little or no geological activity.

The 22 minor moons orbiting Uranus are much smaller without the mass necessary to assume a spherical shape:

Cordelia has a diameter of 26 km and acts as the inner shepherd moon for Uranus’ epsilon ring. It was discovered by Voyager 2. [1]
Ophelia has a diameter of 30 km and acts as the outer shepherd moon for Uranus’ epsilon ring. It was discovered by Voyager 2.
Bianca was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 42 km.
Cressida was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 66 km.
Desdemona was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 54 km.
Juliet was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 84 km.
Portia was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 42 km.
Rosalind was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 54 km.
Mab has an estimated diameter of 24 km and was discovered using the Hubble Space Telescope.
Belinda was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 66 km.
Perdita has an estimated diameter of 26 kilometers and was confirmed as a moon by the Hubble space telescope.
Puck was discovered by Voyager 2 and has a diameter of 154 km.
Cupid has an estimated diameter of 18 km and was discovered using the Hubble Space Telescope.
Francisco, little data, its diameter estimated at 22 km.
Caliban, little data, its diameter estimated at 72 km.
Stephano, little data, its diameter estimated at 32 km.
Trinculo, little data, its diameter estimated at 18 km.
Sycorax, little data its diameter estimated at 150 km.
Margaret, little data, its diameter estimated at 20 km.
Prospero, little data, its diameter estimated at 25 km.
Setebos, little data, its diameter estimated at 24 km.
Ferdinand, little data, its diameter estimated at 20 km.

[1] “Shepherd” moons are small satellites orbiting within gaps or at the periphery of planetary rings their gravitational presence producing a distinct edge to the matter comprising the ring.

HOME TABLE OF CONTENTS COPYRIGHT INFORMATION SITE MAP <<PREVIOUS NEXT>>