Miranda (moon)
 | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Gerard Kuiper |
| Discovered in | 1948 | Orbital characteristics |
| Mean radius | 129,872 km |
| Eccentricity | ~0.0013 |
| Orbital period | 1.413479d |
| Inclination | 4.34° |
| Is a satellite of | Uranus |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Equatorial diameter | 471.6 km |
| Surface area | km2 |
| Mass | 6.59×1019 kg |
| Mean density | 1.20 g/cm3 |
| Surface gravity | 0.079 m/s2 |
| Rotation period | 1.413479 days |
| Axial tilt | ?° |
| Albedo | 0.34 |
| Surface temp | 86ÃÂðK |
| Atmospheric pressure | 0 kPa |
Miranda is the smallest and innermost of Uranus' major moonss. Its surface may be mostly water ice, with the low density body being made of silicate rock and methane-related organic compounds. Miranda's surface is criss-crossed by huge canyons up to 20 kilometres (12 miles) deep, with patchwork regions of broken terrain indicating intense geological activity in the moon's past. It is thought that this activity is likely powered by tidal forces from Uranus, but another theory suggests that Miranda was at some point struck by a massive object that partially shattered the moon.
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