1,158 km
DIAMETER
2.52 DAYS
ORBITAL PERIOD
190,900 km
FROM URANUS
1851
DISCOVERED
2.52 DAYS
ROTATION PERIOD
#4
LARGEST URANUS MOON
THE BRIGHT MOON
Ariel is the fourth-largest moon of Uranus
and one of the brightest major moons of
the planet.
It was discovered in 1851 by William
Lassell, together with Umbriel.
Ariel is covered with valleys, fault systems,
craters and long canyons. Its surface shows
evidence that geological activity once
reshaped the moon.
Voyager 2 photographed Ariel during its
1986 flyby of the Uranian system.
The moon is composed mainly of water ice
mixed with rocky material.
ARIEL FEATURES
DEEP CANYONS
Ariel contains enormous valleys and
faults that cut across its icy surface.
GEOLOGICAL ACTIVITY
Its surface suggests that Ariel experienced
significant geological activity in the past.
ICY WORLD
Ariel is composed mainly of water ice
and rocky material.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ariel is one of the
brightest major moons of Uranus,
although its surface is still very dark
compared with Earth's Moon.
A YOUNG-LOOKING URANIAN MOON
Ariel has one of the brightest and geologically youngest-looking surfaces among Uranus's major moons. Voyager 2 images revealed networks of valleys, faults and smoother plains that indicate substantial modification after the oldest impacts occurred.
These features are consistent with past tectonic activity and resurfacing, potentially involving warm ice or cryovolcanic processes, although the limited close-range data leave important questions unresolved.
IMAGE:
NASA / JPL / VOYAGER 2
IMAGE SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
IMAGE SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS