Astronomy:Bianca (moon)

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Short description: Moon of Uranus
There is also an asteroid called 218 Bianca.
Bianca
Biancamoon.png
Discovery
Discovered byBradford A. Smith / Voyager 2
Discovery dateJanuary 23, 1986
Designations
Designation
Uranus VIII
Pronunciation/biˈæŋkə/[1]
AdjectivesBiancan[2]
Orbital characteristics
Mean orbit radius59,165.550 ± 0.045 km[3]
Eccentricity0.00092 ± 0.000118[3]
Orbital period0.434578986 ± 0.000000022 d[3]
Inclination0.19308 ± 0.054° (to Uranus' equator)[3]
Satellite ofUranus
Physical characteristics
Dimensions64 × 46 × 46 km[4]
Mean radius25.7 ± 2 km[4][5][6]
Surface area~8300 km2[lower-alpha 1]
Volume~71,000 km3[lower-alpha 1]
Mass~9.2×1016 kg[lower-alpha 1]
Mean density~1.3 g/cm3 (assumed)[5]
~0.0086 m/s2[lower-alpha 1]
~0.022 km/s[lower-alpha 1]
Rotation periodsynchronous[4]
Axial tiltzero[4]
Albedo
Physics~64 K[lower-alpha 1]


Bianca is an inner satellite of Uranus. It was discovered from the images taken by Voyager 2 on January 23, 1986, and was given the temporary designation S/1986 U 9.[8] It was named after the sister of Katherine in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew. It is also designated Uranus VIII.[9]

Bianca belongs to the Portia group of satellites, which also includes Cressida, Desdemona, Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Cupid, Belinda and Perdita.[7] These satellites have similar orbits and photometric properties.[7] Other than its orbit,[3] radius of 27 km,[4] and geometric albedo of 0.08[7] virtually nothing is known about it.

In Voyager 2 images Bianca appears as an elongated object, the major axis pointing towards Uranus. The ratio of axes of the Bianca's prolate spheroid is 0.7 ± 0.2.[4] Its surface is grey in color.[4]

See also

References

Explanatory notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Calculated on the basis of other parameters.

Citations

  1. Benjamin Smith (1903) The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
  2. Ruud (2008) Critical companion to Dante: a literary reference to his life and work
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Jacobson, R. A. (1998). "The Orbits of the Inner Uranian Satellites From Hubble Space Telescope and Voyager 2 Observations". The Astronomical Journal 115 (3): 1195–1199. doi:10.1086/300263. Bibcode1998AJ....115.1195J. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Karkoschka, Erich (2001). "Voyager's Eleventh Discovery of a Satellite of Uranus and Photometry and the First Size Measurements of Nine Satellites". Icarus 151 (1): 69–77. doi:10.1006/icar.2001.6597. Bibcode2001Icar..151...69K. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Planetary Satellite Physical Parameters". JPL (Solar System Dynamics). 24 October 2008. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?sat_phys_par. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 Williams, Dr. David R. (23 November 2007). "Uranian Satellite Fact Sheet". NASA (National Space Science Data Center). http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/uraniansatfact.html. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Karkoschka, Erich (2001). "Comprehensive Photometry of the Rings and 16 Satellites of Uranus with the Hubble Space Telescope". Icarus 151 (1): 51–68. doi:10.1006/icar.2001.6596. Bibcode2001Icar..151...51K. 
  8. Smith, B. A. (1986-01-27). "Satellites and Rings of Uranus". IAU Circular 4168. http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iauc/04100/04168.html#Item1. Retrieved 2011-10-31. 
  9. "Planet and Satellite Names and Discoverers". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology. July 21, 2006. http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Planets. 

External links