Margaret (moon)

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Margaret
Discovery
Discovered by Scott S. Sheppard,
and David C. Jewitt
Discovered in August 29, 2003
Orbital characteristics
Mean radius 14,345,000 km
Eccentricity 0.6608
Orbital period 1687.01 d
Inclination 57° (to the ecliptic)[1]
Is a satellite of Uranus
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter ~20 km (estimate)[1]
Surface area ~380 km2 (estimate)
Volume ~700 km3 (estimate)
Mass ~1.0×1015 kg (estimate)
Mean density ~1.5 g/cm3 (estimate)
Surface gravity ~0.0023 m/s2 (estimate)
Escape velocity ~0.005 km/s (estimate)
Rotation period  ?
Axial tilt  ?°
Albedo 0.04 (assumed)[1]
Surface temp.
min mean max
~65 K (estimate)
Atmospheric pressure 0 kPa

Margaret (mar'-grət, IPA: [ˈmɑrgrət]) is a the only prograde irregular satellite of Uranus. It was discovered by Scott S. Sheppard, et al. in 2003 and given the provisional designation S/2003 U 3. [2]

Confimed as Uranus XXIII, it was named after the servant of Hero in William Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing [3]

Contents

[edit] Orbit

Irregular satellites of Uranus.
Enlarge
Irregular satellites of Uranus.

Margaret stands out as the only prograde irregular satellite of Uranus. The diagram illustrates the orbital parameters of Margaret, unique among the irregular satellites of Uranus, with inclination on the vertical axis and the eccentricity of the orbits represented by the segments extending from the pericentre to the apocentre.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan Kleyna An Ultradeep Survey for Irregular Satellites of Uranus: Limits to Completeness, The Astronomical Journal, 129 (2005), pages 518–525 . Preprint
  2. ^ IAU Circular 8217
  3. ^ Planetary names USGS.
  • Ephemeris (IUA)[1]
  • Mean orbital parameters (NASA)[2]