The Solar System consists of planets and moons that orbit them.Miranda is one of the five major moons of the planet Uranus. It was formed about 4.5 billion years ago.Miranda is also one of the smallest bodies in the solar system. It is also sometimes referred to as Uranus V. It is also one of the smallest and innermost satellites to orbit Uranus. Named after a character in William Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Tempest,’ by its discoverer, astronomer Gerard Kuiper, it is one of the 27 moons of the planet Uranus, the seventh planet in the solar system. Jupiter, the fifth planet in the Solar system, has the maximum number of moons.The Voyager 2, a space probe sent by NASA, was the only spacecraft to fly close to Miranda at 18,000 mi (28968.2 km). However, it was only able to observe the southern hemisphere as it was pointed to the sun.Once you have finished this article on Miranda Moon Facts, why not check out Nix (moon) and Titania moon here on Kidadl.Miranda Moon CompositionMiranda moon is mainly made of water and ice, although, close to the center, rocky material can be found. According to estimates by astronomers, more than 60% of this moon is made of ice water, and the rest is from silicate rock.Miranda Moon FeaturesThe most outstanding and distinctive feature on Miranda’s surface is a pattern of dark and light grooves that form a V-shape known as the chevron. This feature is so prominent that it appears on most images taken by the Voyager space probe sent by NASA.Discovered by Gerard Kuiper on February 16, 1948, it is named after the daughter of Prospero in the play ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare. This, one of the many moons of Uranus, was discovered by Gerard Kuiper when looking at telescopic photos of the Uranian system at the McDonald Observatory in Texas.Miranda has a diameter of 293 mi (471.5 km). It is at a mean distance of 80,620 mi (129745.3 km) from Uranus.The surface of Miranda is nearly as bright as Ariel, the brightest of the Uranus moons. Miranda’s brightness also increases when there is a shadow between it and the sun. This suggests that the surface could be porous, which could be the result of micrometeorite strikes.Surface Features Of Miranda MoonWe know about the surface of Miranda from the images taken by Voyager 2, the second interstellar spacecraft sent by NASA.Don’t be fooled by Miranda’s small size; its surface is unique, and no two areas are the same. The topography includes cliffs, craters, and valleys. Although this moon is small in diameter, it has many fault canyons, some as deep as 12 mi (19.3 km). The cliffs that are caused due to these faults are steep and are known as fault scarps. The largest cliff is the Verona Rupes. It is not only the largest on Miranda but also in the entire solar system. It is about 20 mi (32.3 km) higher than the area surrounding it. It is three times as high as the walls of the Grand Canyon.The tectonic areas on this moon look like raceways and are known as the corona. This is a unique feature of this moon in the Solar System. Grooves and craters dominate the rest of the surface of Miranda. No atmosphere has been detected on Miranda, and it also has no magnetic field.Scientists believe that this strange geography of Miranda captured by Voyager 2 could be due to the pull of gravity of Uranus. This strange surface is what makes Miranda unique among all the planets and heavenly bodies in the solar system.Miranda Moon Orbital Period And Surface GravityRead on to know some interesting Miranda Moon Facts about its orbit and gravity.Miranda orbits Uranus at a speed of 14,898 mph (23976 kph). The moon takes 1.41 days to complete an orbit, and that’s how long a day is in Miranda. Of the five major moons, Miranda has the closest orbit to Uranus. Miranda’s orbit is inclined at an angle of 4.22 degrees. The orbital period of Miranda is 34 hours, and that’s how long a year is in Miranda.The low temperature on Miranda’s surface makes it extremely cold. The mean surface temperature is -305°F (-187°C). Miranda’s gravity is very low; therefore, a person jumping off its highest cliff, Verona Rupes, would take about 10 minutes to hit the surface. However, it is one of the smallest objects in the Solar System that gets its round shape due to its own gravity.Of all the Uranus moons, Miranda was the last moon to be discovered before the launch of Voyager 2 by NASA in 1986.Among the many moons of Uranus, the bizarre surface of Miranda has always fascinated scientists from the time it was discovered. Studies and research are still ongoing to find the cause and reason for this strange geography.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Miranda moon: most prying facts on planet Uranus’s moon disclosed!’, then why not take a look at ‘where do earwigs come from?’ and ’easy ways to get rid of earwigs’ or ‘Where do eggs come from? What’s all about hens and their eggs?’
The Solar System consists of planets and moons that orbit them.
