Wunda (crater)

Wunda is a bright feature at the top of this image of Umbriel.

Coordinates: 7°54′S 273°36′E / 7.9°S 273.6°E / -7.9; 273.6^[1]

Wunda is a large crater on the surface of Uranus' moon Umbriel.^[2] It is 131 km in diameter and is located near the equator of Umbriel. The crater is named after Wunda, a dark spirit of Indigenous Australian aboriginal mythology.^[1]

Wunda has a prominent albedo feature on its floor, which takes the shape of a ring of bright material at least 10 km in radial width.^[3] The reason for its brightness, which stands out from the very dark composition of the moon as a whole, is unknown.^[2]

References

Citations

Sources

• Plescia, J. B. (December 30, 1987). "Cratering history of the Uranian satellites: Umbriel, Titania and Oberon". Journal of Geophysical Research 92 (A13): 14,918–14,932. Bibcode:1987JGR....9214918P. doi:10.1029/JA092iA13p14918. ISSN 0148-0227. 
• Smith, B. A.; Soderblom, L. A.; Beebe, A.; Bliss, D.; Boyce, J. M.; Brahic, A.; Briggs, G. A.; Brown, R. H.; Collins, S. A. (4 July 1986). "Voyager 2 in the Uranian System: Imaging Science Results". Science 233 (4759): 43–64. Bibcode:1986Sci...233...43S. doi:10.1126/science.233.4759.43. PMID 17812889. 
• USGS/IAU (October 1, 2006). "Wunda on Umbriel". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology. Retrieved 2012-02-22.