apparent size:3 to 4 seconds
apparent magnitude: 5.5 to 5.9 (i.e., JUST visible to naked eye)
Uranus
While not very spectacular in a small telescope, it's fun to say "I've seen it!". Titania and Oberon, at magnitudes 13.7 and 13.9, are just basely visible in an 8 inch telescope.
View through a small telescope:
apparent size:3 to 4 seconds
apparent magnitude: 5.5 to 5.9 (i.e., JUST visible to naked eye)
View from Voyager 2
Uranus in True and False Color
click on the image for a full-screen view
View from the Hubble Space Telescope (note rings and the 10 moons):
Magnetic fields of Uranus (video)
This animation was taken from the movie Voyager Science Summary (CMP 346). It was digitized by Calvin J. Hamilton.
The discovery of Uranus (video)
This animation was taken from the NASA movie I Will See Such Things (CMP 186). It was digitized by Calvin J. Hamilton.
Titania
click on the image for a full-screen view
Titania is the largest moon of Uranus. It is marked by a few large impact basins, but is generally covered with small craters and very rough rocks. The above image shows a 1,600 kilometer (1,000 mile) long trench. A large double walled crater can be seen towards the top of the image. There are many faults on Titania indicating there has been internal forces molding its surface. This image is Copyright © by Calvin J. Hamilton. Any commercial/for-profit use of this image needs to be addressed to Calvin J. Hamilton.
Oberon
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Oberon is a moon of Uranus that is characterized by an old, heavily cratered, and icy surface. The surface shows little evidence of internal activity other than some unknown dark material that apparently covers the floors of many craters. The above image shows several large impact craters towards the center of the image. On the limb, a high mountain rises 6 kilometers (4 miles) above its surroundings. There are bright rays similar to those seen on Jupiter's moon Callisto. This image is Copyright © by Calvin J. Hamilton. Any commercial/for-profit use of this image needs to be addressed to Calvin J. Hamilton.
Ariel
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Ariel is a relatively small satellite and is the brightest moon of Uranus. The surface is pock-marked with craters, but the most outstanding features are long rift valleys stretching across the entire surface. Canyons much like the ones on Mars appear in the pictures. The canyon floors appear as though they have been smoothed by a fluid. The fluid could not have been water because water acts like steel at these temperatures. The flow marks might have been made by ammonia, methane or even carbon monoxide. This image is Copyright © by Calvin J. Hamilton. Any commercial/for-profit use of this image needs to be addressed to Calvin J. Hamilton.
Umbriel
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Umbriel is the darkest satellite of Uranus. It is about the same size as Ariel and has about the same density. The surface appears to be old with large craters and does not change much from one location to another. Near the top is a puzzling bright ring called the fluorescent cheerio. It is probably the floor of a crater. This image is Copyright © by Calvin J. Hamilton. Any commercial/for-profit use of this image needs to be addressed to Calvin J. Hamilton.
Miranda
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This color composite of the Uranian satellite Miranda was taken by Voyager 2 on Jan. 24, 1986, from a distance of 147,OOO kilometers (91,OOO miles). This picture was constructed from images taken through the narrow-angle camera's green, violet and ultraviolet filters. It is the best color view of Miranda returned by Voyager.
Written by Stephen R. Kessell
Updated 27 January, 2001
