When did Sir William Herschel discover the first two moons of Uranus?
Sir William Herschel discovered the first two moons of Uranus on the 11th of January 1787. This event occurred six years after he had discovered the planet itself.
Questions about Moons of Uranus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who discovered Ariel and Umbriel in 1851?
William Lassell discovered Ariel and Umbriel in 1851 using improved equipment. Credit for discovering these moons rightfully belongs to Lassell instead of Herschel.
What literary works provide names for the major moons of Uranus?
John Herschel assigned names from English literature rather than Greek mythology in 1852. Oberon and Titania come from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream while Ariel and Umbriel originate from Alexander Pope's poem The Rape of the Lock.
How large is Puck compared to other inner satellites of Uranus?
Puck measures 162 kilometers across and remains the largest inner satellite imaged by Voyager 2. Fourteen inner moons orbit within the path of Miranda today with geometrical albedo values below 10 percent.
Which moon shows the oldest surface among the five major moons of Uranus?
Umbriel shows the oldest surface while Ariel displays the youngest terrain. Past orbital resonances between Miranda and Umbriel heated their interiors significantly.
When did Maryame El Moutamid's team detect S/2025 U 1?
Maryame El Moutamid's team detected S/2025 U 1 in February 2025 images from the James Webb Space Telescope. This discovery follows Scott Sheppard's announcement of a new irregular moon from Subaru Telescope data in 2024.