Uranus: Moons: Titania
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 as trench-like features near the terminator (shadow line). Deposits of highly reflective material which may represent frost can be seen along the sun-facing valley walls. The troughs break the crust in two directions, an indication of some tectonic extension of Titania's crust.
The moon iis about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) in diameter. The neutral gray color of Titania is characteristic of the Uranian satellites.
Discovery:
Titania was discovered on 11 January 1787 by English astronomer British astronomer William Herschel.
How Titania Got Its Name:
Titania is named for the queen of the fairies in William Shakespeare's 16th century play "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
