Desdemona (moon)

Desdemona is a closer moon to Uranus. It was found from the images taken by Voyager 2 on 1986-01-13, and was given the designation S/1986 U 6.[5] Desdemona is named after the wife of Othello in William Shakespeare's play Othello. It is also designated Uranus X.[6]

Desdemona
Discovery
Discovered byStephen P. Synnott / Voyager 2
Discovery dateJanuary 13, 1986
Orbital characteristics
Mean orbit radius
62,658.364 ± 0.047 km[1]
Eccentricity0.00013 ± 0.000070[1]
0.473649597 ± 0.000000014 d[1]
Inclination0.11252 ± 0.037° (to Uranus' equator)[1]
Satellite ofUranus
Physical characteristics
Dimensions90 × 54 × 54 km[2]
Mean radius
34 ± 4 km[2]
~14,500 km²[3]
Volume~164,000 km³[3]
Mass~2.3×1017 kg[3]
Mean density
~1.3 g/cm³ assumed
~0.011 m/s2[3]
~0.027 km/s[3]
synchronous[2]
zero[2]
Albedo0.08 ± 0.01[4]
Temperature~64 K[3]
Discovery image of Desdemona

Desdemona belongs to Portia Group of moons, which also includes Bianca, Cressida, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Cupid, Belinda and Perdita.[4] These moons have similar orbits and photometric properties.[4] Unfortunately, other than its orbit,[1] radius of 34 km[2] and geometric albedo of 0.08[4] almost nothing is known about it.

At the Voyager 2 images Desdemona appears as a stretched object, the major axis pointing towards Uranus. The ratio of axises of the Desdemona's prolate spheroid is 0.6 ± 0.3.[2] Its surface is grey in color.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Calculated on the basis of other parameters
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers at line 630: attempt to index field 'known_free_doi_registrants_t' (a nil value).
  5. Smith, B. A. (January 16, 1986). "IAU Circular No. 4164". Retrieved 2006-08-06.
  6. "Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology. July 21, 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-06.

Other websites