Ophelia (moon)
Ophelia is a small inner moon of Uranus, discovered in Voyager 2 images in 1986. It is irregular, about 23 km in radius, faint (low albedo) and serves as an outer shepherd to Uranus's ε ring.
Overview
Ophelia is one of Uranus's inner satellites. Cataloged as S/1986 U 8 at discovery and also designated Uranus VII, it is a small, dark moon that orbits close to the planet. Like many inner moons it is irregular in shape and very faint when seen from Earth-based telescopes. Its modest size and low reflectivity mean detailed information about its surface and composition remains limited.
Image gallery
6 Images
Discovery and name
Ophelia was identified in images taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on January 20, 1986. Subsequent observations with the Hubble Space Telescope confirmed and tracked the object again in 2003. The moon's name comes from literature: it honors Ophelia, daughter of Polonius in a play by William Shakespeare, specifically Hamlet.
Physical characteristics
Available measurements indicate a radius of roughly 23 km and a low geometric albedo near 0.08, making Ophelia dark compared with many icy satellites. Images from Voyager 2 show an elongated object whose long axis points approximately toward Uranus, a shape consistent with tidal deformation expected for small, tidally locked moons. Beyond these basic properties — size, brightness and apparent elongation — little is firmly known about its geology, composition or internal structure.
Orbit and role in Uranus's rings
Ophelia orbits within the inner satellite system of Uranus and is associated with the planet's ring system. It is regarded as an outer shepherd for the bright ε (epsilon) ring, helping to confine ring particles through gravitational interactions. As with other close satellites, Ophelia is believed to be tidally locked so the same face always points toward Uranus.
Observations and open questions
After its discovery by Voyager 2, Ophelia was difficult to detect from Earth until the improved imaging of Hubble in the early 21st century. The moon's small size and low reflectivity make follow-up observations challenging, so many aspects remain uncertain: surface composition, detailed shape, rotational dynamics, and whether it bears impact craters or regolith layers. Future missions or improved ground-based and space telescopes could reveal more.
Quick facts
- Designation: S/1986 U 8 (also Uranus VII)
- Discovery: images from Voyager 2 taken on January 20, 1986
- Confirmed by: Hubble Space Telescope in 2003
- Size: radius ≈ 23 km
- Albedo: geometric albedo ≈ 0.08 (very dark)
- Name origin: character Ophelia from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Questions and answers
Q: What is Ophelia?
A: Ophelia is a moon of Uranus.
Q: When was Ophelia discovered?
A: Ophelia was discovered on January 20, 1986, from images taken by Voyager 2.
Q: When was Ophelia seen again?
A: Ophelia was seen again in 2003 by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Q: Why was Ophelia named Ophelia?
A: Ophelia was named after the daughter of Polonius, Ophelia, in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.
Q: What is another designation for Ophelia?
A: Another designation for Ophelia is Uranus VII.
Q: What do we know about Ophelia?
A: Other than its orbit, radius of 23 km, and geometric albedo of 0.08, almost nothing is known about Ophelia.
Q: How does Ophelia appear in the Voyager 2 images?
A: In the Voyager 2 images, Ophelia appears as a stretched object, with the major axis pointing towards Uranus.
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Author
AlegsaOnline.com Ophelia (moon) Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/72837