When did William Herschel discover Titania?
William Herschel discovered Titania on the 11th of January 1787. He recorded this discovery in his journal while observing Uranus from his private observatory in Slough, England.
Questions about Titania (moon)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the orbital period of Titania around Uranus?
Titania orbits Uranus with a period of roughly 8.7 days which matches its rotational period to create synchronous rotation. One face always points toward Uranus while the other remains fixed away from the planet.
How large is the largest crater named Gertrude on Titania?
The largest known crater on Titania measures 326 kilometers across and is named Gertrude after Hamlet's mother. Other craters like Ursula and Jessica feature bright impact ejecta rays consisting of relatively fresh ice.
Does Titania have an atmosphere and what gases are present?
Carbon dioxide detected on Titania's surface suggests a tenuous seasonal atmosphere similar to Jupiter's moon Callisto. Nitrogen or methane cannot persist due to weak gravity allowing escape into space.
When was Voyager 2 closest to Titania during its flyby?
Voyager 2 photographed Titania during its January 1986 flyby achieving closest approach distances of roughly 374,000 kilometers. Best images have spatial resolution limited to about 3.4 kilometers covering only forty percent of the total surface area.