MOON
MIMAS – SCI & TECH
News:
Mimas, Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon may
have a hidden ocean
What's
in the news?
●
Recently, a study published in the journal
Nature says that a “young” ocean formed on the planet just five to 15 million
years ago. This makes Mimas a great target for studying the origins of life in
the solar system.
Moon Mimas:
●
Mimas is one of the moons of Saturn, and it's known for its striking appearance due to
a large crater named Herschel that dominates one side of its surface.
●
Mimas was discovered by the astronomer William Herschel in 1789, making it one
of the first moons of Saturn to be observed.
Size
and Composition:
●
Mimas is relatively small compared to Saturn's other moons, with a diameter of about
396km (246 miles).
●
It is composed mostly of water ice with a small amount of rock.
Surface
Features:
●
The most prominent feature on Mimas is the
Herschel Crater, which is about 130km
(81 miles) in diameter, giving the moon a resemblance to the Death Star from
the Star Wars franchise. The impact that created the Herschel Crater likely
came close to shattering Mimas entirely due to its size in relation to the
moon's diameter.
●
Mimas has a surface temperature of around -200 degrees Celsius (-328 degrees
Fahrenheit), making it one of the coldest bodies in the Solar System.
Orbit:
●
Mimas orbits Saturn at a distance of
approximately 185,520km (115,310 miles) and takes about 22.6 hours to complete
one orbit.
Exploration:
●
Mimas has been visited by spacecraft,
including the Voyager probes and the
Cassini spacecraft. These missions have provided valuable data and images of
the moon, helping scientists learn more about its geology and composition.