Discovery | |
---|---|
Discovered by | Stephen P. Synnott / Voyager 2 |
Discovery date | January 13, 1986 |
Designations | |
Designation | Uranus X |
Pronunciation | /dɛzdəˈmoʊnə/ [1] |
Adjectives | Desdemonan, [2] Desdemonian, [3] Desdemonean [4] /dɛzdəˈmoʊn(i)ən/ |
Orbital characteristics [5] | |
62,658.364 ± 0.047 km | |
Eccentricity | 0.00013 ± 0.000070 |
0.473649597 ± 0.000000014 d | |
Inclination | 0.11252 ± 0.037° (to Uranus' equator) |
Satellite of | Uranus |
Physical characteristics | |
Dimensions | 90 × 54 × 54 km [6] [note 1] |
~13,000 km2 [a] | |
Volume | 137400±37.5% km3 [7] |
Mass | (1.237±0.436)×1017 kg [7] |
Mean
density | ≥0.66 g/cm3
[7] ~0.90 g/cm3 (assumed) |
~0.004–0.011 m/s2 [a] | |
~0.019–0.025 km/s [a] | |
synchronous [6] | |
zero [6] | |
Albedo | 0.08 ± 0.01
[8] 0.07 [9] [10] |
Temperature | ~64 K [a] |
|
Desdemona is an inner satellite of Uranus. It was discovered from the images taken by Voyager 2 on 13 January 1986, and was given the temporary designation S/1986 U 6. [11] Desdemona is named after the wife of Othello in William Shakespeare's play Othello. It is also designated Uranus X. [12]
Desdemona belongs to Portia Group of satellites, which also includes Bianca, Cressida, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Cupid, Belinda and Perdita. [8] These satellites have similar orbits and photometric properties. [8] Other than its orbit, [5] size of 90 × 54 km [6] and geometric albedo of 0.08 [8] virtually nothing is known about Desdemona.
In the Voyager 2 images Desdemona appears as an elongated object, the major axis pointing towards Uranus. The ratio of axes of Desdemona's prolate spheroid is 0.6 ± 0.3. [6] Its surface is grey in color. [6]
Desdemona may collide with one of its neighboring moons Cressida or Juliet within the next 100 million years. [13]