Uranus: Moons: Titania

Voyager 2 took this photograph of Titania, Uranus' largest moon, in 1986

Titania is Uranus' largest moon. Voyager 2 images taken almost 200 years after its discovery revealed signs the moon was geologically active.

A prominent system of fault valleys, some nearly 1,000 miles long, is visible near the terminator (shadow line). The troughs break the crust in two directions, an indication of some tectonic extension of Titania's crust. Deposits of highly reflective material which may represent frost can be seen along the sun-facing valley walls.

The moon is about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) in diameter. The neutral gray color of Titania is typical of most of the significant Uranian moons.

Discovery:
Titania was discovered on 11 January 1787 by British astronomer William Herschel.

How Titania Got Its Name:
Moons of Uranus are named for characters in William Shakespeare's plays and from Alexander Pope's Rape of the Lock.

Titania is named for the queen of the fairies in William Shakespeare's 16th century play A Midsummer Night's Dream.