Ariel is the fourth-largest moon of Uranus. Ariel orbits and rotates in the equatorial plane of Uranus, which is almost perpendicular to the orbit of Uranus, so the moon has an extreme seasonal cycle. It was discovered on 24 October 1851 [11] by William Lassell and named for a character in two different pieces of literature.

Nov 3, 2024 · Like the other large Uranian moons, Ariel keeps the same face toward Uranus as it orbits the planet (just as our Moon keeps the same face always toward Earth). Ariels' orbit is prograde, with a low-inclination and eccentricity in respect to Uranus.

Ariel is the most reflective moon of Uranus, and although it has a neutral color, this makes it a lot easier to see with a telescope. The surface is also heavily cratered, with any canyons and ridges across it’s surface.

Like the other large Uranian moons, Ariel rotates synchronously with its orbital period, keeping the same face toward the planet and the same face forward in its orbit. The moon’s mean diameter is about 1,160 km (720 miles).

Apr 22, 2019 · NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery. A 3D model of Ariel, a moon of Uranus.

Apr 27, 2019 · One of the large spherical moons of Uranus, Ariel was named after a sky spirit in Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock and a spirit from Shakespeare's The Tempest. It’s the second closest of the 5 large moons, but the most reflective, possibly on account of its relatively young dynamic and varied surfaces! Fast Summary Facts All About Icy Ariel!

Ariel is a moon of Uranus found on October 24, 1851 by William Lassell. It was found at the same time as Umbriel. The moon is named after the leading sylph in Alexander Pope 's poem Rape of the Lock. It is also the name of the spirit who serves Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Ariel is the most reflective moon out of all 27 known moons orbiting Uranus. Ariel is the smallest of all 19 known spherical moons in our Solar System. The longest canyon on Ariel is about 385 miles long and is known as Kachina Chasma.

Jan 1, 2010 · Ariel (a character in The Tempest by Shakespeare and also a character in a Pope poem) is the brightest moon of Uranus. The most notable features on this moon are the craters that cover the surface as well as the interconnected rift valleys that run across the moon.

Jul 26, 2024 · Recent observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed intriguing evidence suggesting that Ariel, one of the moons of Uranus, may host a subsurface ocean. This discovery...