Stephano (moon)

Stephano
Discovery image of Stephano (encircled)
Discovery
Discovered by
Discovery dateJuly 18, 1999
Designations
Designation
Uranus XX
Pronunciation/ˈstɛfənoʊ/ STEF-ən-oh[1][2]
AdjectivesStephanonian /ˌstɛfəˈnoʊniən/ STEF-ə-NOH-nee-ən[3]
Orbital characteristics[4]
Mean orbit radius
7 951 400 km
Eccentricity0.235
677 d
Inclination143.6° (to the ecliptic)
Satellite ofUranus
GroupCaliban group
Physical characteristics
16 km (estimate)[5]
~3200 km2 (estimate)
Volume~17 000 km3 (estimate)
Mass~2.2×1016 kg (estimate)
Mean density
~1.3 g/cm3 (assumed)
~0.006 m/s2 (estimate)
~0.014 km/s (estimate)
?
?
Albedo0.04 (assumed)[5]
Temperature~65 K (estimate)
Spectral type
B–V = 0.97 ± 0.07, V–R = 0.66 ± 0.05[6]

Stephano (/ˈstɛfənoʊ/ STEF-ən-oh) is a retrograde irregular satellite of Uranus. It was discovered by Brett J. Gladman, et al. in 1999, and given the provisional designation S/1999 U 2.[7][8][9][10][11]

Confirmed as Uranus XX, it was named after the drunken butler in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest in August 2000.[12]

The orbital parameters suggest that it may belong to the same dynamic cluster as Caliban, suggesting common origin.[13]

Animation of several irregular moons' orbits around Uranus, including that of Stephano's.
   Uranus  ·    Sycorax ·    Francisco  ·    Caliban  ·    Stephano  ·    Trinculo
Animation of discovery images taken by the CFHT in July 1999
  1. ^ Shakespeare Recording Society (1995) The Tempest (audio CD)
  2. ^ Benjamin Smith (1903) The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
  3. ^ Lessing (1914) How the Ancients Represented Death
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference JPL was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Sheppard et al. 2005 radius/albedo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference GraykowskiJewitt2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gladman Discovery 2000 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAUC 7230 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAUC 7248 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAUC 7385 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAUC 7473 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAUC 7479 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Grav2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).