Titania

Source: NASA

TITANIA! Not to be confused with Saturn’s, Titan, she is Uranus’ largest moon!

Ringing in at number 8 for the largest satellite in the solar system, Titania offers a few quirks that the others don’t. An ever-so-slight reddish hue (the origin is unknown) combined with the slight possibility that this moon could STILL be geologically active…?! Count me in. When discovered, it was initially called “the first satellite of Uranus,” and then “Uranus I” which both don’t make sense and went under revision as it ultimately took on the name of the queen of the fairies from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” At first glance, some things are hard to miss about the surface of Titania: canyons (called chasmata), rupes (called scarps) and some craters. Something really interesting is the suggestion that the moon underwent a global expansion (of approximately 7%) during its lifetime, producing the chasmata you see.  A pattern you probably picked up on is that Uranus’ main moons are pretty dark.  The exact reason is unknown but it’s speculated that they’re receiving some sort of dark deposit that may have something to do with Uranus’ magnetosphere. Crazy, right?! Titania is chock-full of mysteries that I was completely unaware of- but not surprised by because let’s be honest… the universe is incredible. I often think of the words of David from Psalms: “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers -the moon and the stars you set in place- what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.” Fearfully and wonderfully made by the same Creator who set the moon and stars in place. One more moon for Uranus, people! I repeat: one more moon!!!