Despite all the modern achievements in the field of science and technology, many secrets of the cosmos remain a mystery to mankind. The study of celestial bodies, including the moons of the planets of the solar system, is fraught with many difficulties. Distances do not allow to consider them in detail. Oberon, the satellite of the planet Uranus, like its other "companions", is still waiting for its turn to be thoroughly investigated.
Story
The total number of all satellites of Uranus reaches 27 units. They are divided into groups:
- domestic;
- external;
- the largest.
The internal "trifle" has 13 dark boulders, with a diameter of 50 to 150 km. All of them rotate almost exactly along the equator of the planet and in one direction. A full turn is done in a few hours. Perhaps they are connected with the rings of Uranus. Most were discovered in 1986 using the Voyager 2 spacecraft . He also took pictures of Oberon, about 40% of its surface. Only 25% of them lend themselves to geological mapping.
The answer to the question of which planet Oberon satellite is known to many schoolchildren today. Its discovery occurred in January 1787 by William Herschel. For another 50 years, few have been able to see the moon, except for the scientist himself. Telescopes of that time were not distinguished by high penetrating power. Modern optics allows you to see Oberon even in an amateur telescope.
Title
Only Uranus, a planet with the satellite Oberon, boasts a “Shakespearean” retinue. The author of the idea to perpetuate Shakespeare in the sky was an astronomer, of course, an Englishman, William Herschel. The planet itself was discovered by chance in 1781. The scientist wanted to give her the name of King George, but traditions overpowered, and Uranus was born.
Initially, Oberon was called Uranus II. Other satellites were later discovered, and William Lassel numbered them according to the distance from the planet, Oberon received the name Uranus IV. Later, all significant in size began to be called by the name of the heroes of Shakespeare's works. The largest: Miranda, Ariel, Cordelia, Umbriel, Ophelia and Oberon.
Structure
Scientists believe that Oberon, a satellite of Uranus, could well have formed from an accretion disk. He surrounded the planet immediately after its formation. Judging by the state of the satellite’s surface, it was “born” in the same period of time as the planet itself.
Presumably, the composition of the satellite consists of approximately the same amount of stones and water, most of which is ice. This is indicated by the density of the satellite - 1.63 g / cm. It can be assumed that the radius of the nucleus is 480 km. The structure is as follows:
- stone core;
- possibly a layer of liquid;
- ice mantle.
Description
It has a reddish surface. In all likelihood, this is the result of the effects of space weathering. This was the result of active bombardment by micrometeorites and charged particles of its surface more than a million years ago. The difference in the intensity of the shades is most likely caused by accretion (the fall of substances on the surface of a celestial body from the environment). Moreover, the leading hemisphere is brighter than the follower. Its intense redness is probably due to the sedimentation of suspended particles from space. Bluish color gives fresh (relatively) mineral deposits.
Oberon is a satellite, the second largest in the Uranus system and the ninth in the Solar System. Characteristics:
- diameter - 1523 km;
- weight - 3,014 X 10 21 kg;
- surface area - 7.3 million km 2 ;
- volume - 1 849 000 000 km³;
- surface temperature - -203 ...- 193 ° ;
- density - 1.63 g / cm.
Rugged surface - a distinctive feature of the moon Oberon. The satellite literally does not have free space without a crater. Their number can no longer increase. More recent craters replace the previous “scars”; they appear from eruptions and blows from space. Such an abundance of craters (more than any other satellite) indicates a respectable age.
The main objects, called craters and canyons. The Shakespearean theme has been preserved here. The largest craters in the visible part:
- Othello - diameter 114 km.
- Lear - 126 km.
- Romeo - 159 km.
- Macbeth - 203 km.
- Hamlet - 206 km.
Perhaps there are larger ones, but so far they are not available for study. Many craters have peculiar light rays. Scientists suggest that these are emissions of frozen water - ice. The dark bottom may indicate the release of dirty water, by analogy with the lunar seas. Another assumption of the shadowing of the bottom of the craters is based on the fact that under the ice surface crust there is a darker interior. Canyons are much smaller, the longest is Mommur (537 kilometers).
Orbit
Oberon is a satellite with an orbit of 584,000 km. He is constantly turned to the planet on one side. This is not uncommon in the solar system. Our Moon in relation to the Earth in the same position, which is typical for large satellites. Due to a slight deviation from the circle and the presence of an equatorial slope, this distance may vary. The orbital period coincides with the rotation period and is thirteen and a half days.
The most distant (of large moons) Oberon, most of its orbit passes without the influence of the planet's magnetosphere. Its outer surface is exposed to the solar wind. The attack force from Uranus by plasma particles is much less than other satellites, therefore Oberon is visually lighter than its "brothers".
The equatorial plane of the planet approximately coincides with the orbits of its largest satellites. Long-term seasonal shift - 42 years. Each of the poles first hides for almost half a century in the dark, then spends the same amount on the sun.
Once every forty-two years, during the equinox, the Sun and Earth pass through the equatorial plane of Uranus. At this moment, mutual coverage of satellites is observed.