Desdemona (moon)

There is also a minor planet called 666 Desdemona.
Desdemona
Discovery image of Desdemona
Discovery
Discovered byStephen P. Synnott / Voyager 2
Discovery dateJanuary 13, 1986
Designations
Designation
Uranus X
Pronunciation/dɛzdəˈmoʊnə/[1]
AdjectivesDesdemonan,[2] Desdemonian,[3] Desdemonean[4] /dɛzdəˈmoʊn(i)ən/
Orbital characteristics
Mean orbit radius
62,658.364 ± 0.047 km[5]
Eccentricity0.00013 ± 0.000070[5]
0.473649597 ± 0.000000014 d[5]
Inclination0.11252 ± 0.037° (to Uranus' equator)[5]
Satellite ofUranus
Physical characteristics
Dimensions90 × 54 × 54 km[6]
Mean radius
32.0 ± 4 km[6][7][8]
~14,500 km2[a]
Volume~164,000 km3[a]
Mass~1.8×1017 kg[a]
Mean density
~1.3 g/cm3 (assumed)[7]
~0.011 m/s2[a]
~0.027 km/s[a]
synchronous[6]
zero[6]
Albedo
Temperature~64 K[a]

Desdemona is an inner satellite of Uranus. It was discovered from the images taken by Voyager 2 on 13 January 1986, and was given the temporary designation S/1986 U 6.[10] Desdemona is named after the wife of Othello in William Shakespeare's play Othello. It is also designated Uranus X.[11]

Desdemona belongs to Portia Group of satellites, which also includes Bianca, Cressida, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Cupid, Belinda and Perdita.[9] These satellites have similar orbits and photometric properties.[9] Other than its orbit,[5] radius of 32 km[6] and geometric albedo of 0.08[9] virtually nothing is known about Desdemona.

In the Voyager 2 images Desdemona appears as an elongated object, the major axis pointing towards Uranus. The ratio of axes of Desdemona's prolate spheroid is 0.6 ± 0.3.[6] Its surface is grey in color.[6]

Desdemona may collide with one of its neighboring moons Cressida or Juliet within the next 100 million years.[12]

See also

References

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Calculated on the basis of other parameters.

Citations

  1. ^ Benjamin Smith (1903) The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
  2. ^ Harris & Lazzari (1997) Shakespearean criticism
  3. ^ Daileader (2005) Racism, misogyny, and the Othello myth
  4. ^ Genova (1997) Power, gender, values
  5. ^ a b c d e Jacobson, R. A. (1998). "The Orbits of the Inner Uranian Satellites From Hubble Space Telescope and Voyager 2 Observations". The Astronomical Journal. 115 (3): 1195–1199. Bibcode:1998AJ....115.1195J. doi:10.1086/300263. S2CID 118616209.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Karkoschka, Erich (2001). "Voyager's Eleventh Discovery of a Satellite of Uranus and Photometry and the First Size Measurements of Nine Satellites". Icarus. 151 (1): 69–77. Bibcode:2001Icar..151...69K. doi:10.1006/icar.2001.6597.
  7. ^ a b c "Planetary Satellite Physical Parameters". JPL (Solar System Dynamics). 24 October 2008. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  8. ^ a b Williams, Dr. David R. (23 November 2007). "Uranian Satellite Fact Sheet". NASA (National Space Science Data Center). Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  9. ^ a b c d Karkoschka, Erich (2001). "Comprehensive Photometry of the Rings and 16 Satellites of Uranus with the Hubble Space Telescope". Icarus. 151 (1): 51–68. Bibcode:2001Icar..151...51K. doi:10.1006/icar.2001.6596.
  10. ^ Smith, B. A. (January 16, 1986). "Satellites of Uranus". IAU Circular. 4164. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  11. ^ "Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology. July 21, 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2006.
  12. ^ Duncan, Martin J.; Lissauer, Jack J. (1997). "Orbital Stability of the Uranian Satellite System". Icarus. 125 (1): 1–12. Bibcode:1997Icar..125....1D. doi:10.1006/icar.1996.5568.

External links