S/2023 U 1

S/2023 U 1
Discovery[1][2]
Discovered byScott S. Sheppard
Discovery siteLas Campanas Obs.
Discovery date4 November 2023
Orbital characteristics[3]
Epoch 1 January 2020 (JD 2458849.5)
Observation arc2.26 yr (826 d)
Earliest precovery date8 September 2021
Satellite ofUranus
GroupCaliban group
Proper orbital elements
7,976,600 km (0.053320 AU) AU
0.250
143.9° (to ecliptic)
193.147234 deg / yr
1.86386 yr
(680.776 d)
Precession of perihelion
255.228642 arcsec / yr
Precession of the ascending node
258.065338 arcsec / yr
Physical characteristics
8–12 km[a]
8 km[5][6]
26.7 (average)[5]
13.7[1]

S/2023 U 1 is the smallest and faintest natural satellite of Uranus known, with a diameter of around 8–12 km (5–7 mi). It was discovered on 4 November 2023 by Scott S. Sheppard using the 6.5-meter Magellan–Baade Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, and later announced on 23 February 2024.[1] It orbits Uranus in the retrograde direction at an average distance of about 8 million km (5 million mi) and takes almost 2 Earth years to complete its orbit.

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference MPEC-2024-D113 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference jplsats-disc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference jplsats-elem was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference cneos-diameter was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference SheppardMoons was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Carnegie-20240223 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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