Browse All : Oberon and Voyager 2

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Uranian Moons
title Uranian Moons
date 01.26.1986
description This "family portrait" of Uranus' five largest moons was compiled from images sent back Jan. 20, 1986, by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The pictures were taken through a clear filter from distances of 5.0 million to 6.1 million kilometers (3.1 million to 3.8 million miles). In this comparison, we see the relative sizes and relativities of the satellites. From left, in order of increasing distance from the planet, they are Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. The two largest, Oberon and Titania, are about half the size of Earth's Moon, or roughly, 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) in diameter. Miranda, smallest of the five, has about one-quarter to one-third the diameter. Even in these distant views, the satellites exhibit distinct differences in appearance. On average, Oberon and Titania reflect about 20 percent of the sunlight, Umbriel about 12 percent, Ariel and Miranda about 30 percent. Ariel shows the largest contrast on its surface, with the brightest areas about 25 percent. All five satellites show only slight color variations on their surfaces, with their average color being very nearly gray. The best views of the satellites will be obtained Jan. 24, the day of closest approach. *Image Credit*: NASA
AC86-7000
Photographer : JPL Range : 7 …
1/24/86
Description Photographer : JPL Range : 74 million km. ( 46 million miles ) P-29313CThis Voyager photograph of Uranus is a composite of for images taken by the narrow angle camera. At this range, clouds and other features in the atmosphere as small as 1,370 km. could be detected by Voyager 2. Yet, no such features are visible. This view is toward the illuminated south pole of Uranus. The predominant blue color is the result of atmospheric methane, which absorbs the red wavelengths from incoming sunlight. The spot at the upper left edge of the planet's disk reulted from the removal of a reseau mark used in making measurments on the photograph. Three of Uranus' five known satellites are visible, Miranda ( at far right, closest to the planet ), Ariel ( next out , at top), and Umbriel ( lower left ). Titania and Oberon are now outside the narrow angle camera's field of view when it centered on the planet. This color composite was made from images taken through blue, green, orange, and clear filters.
Date 1/24/86
AC86-7012
Photographer : JPL Range : 2 …
1/12/86
Description Photographer : JPL Range : 2.77 million miles (1.72 million miles) resolution : 51 km. (32 mi.) P-29495C This Voyager 2 photograph of the outermost Uranian satellite, Oberon is a computer reconstruction of three frames , exposed through the narrow angle camera's blue, green, and orange filters. the grayness or apparent lack of strong color is a distinctive characteristic of the satellites and the rings of Uranus and can serve as one indicator of the possible composition of the satellites' surfaces. Oberon has a diameter of about 1,600 km. (1,000 mi.) and orbits the planet at a radial distance of 586,000 km. (364,000 mi.). Oberon's surface displays areas of lighter and darker material, probably associated in part with impact craters formed during its long exposure to bombardment by cosmic debris. Thr resolution of this particular image is not sufficient, however, to reveal with confidece the nature of these features.
Date 1/12/86
Oberon at Voyager Closest Ap …
Title Oberon at Voyager Closest Approach
Description This Voyager 2 picture of Oberon is the best the spacecraft acquired of Uranus' outermost moon. The picture was taken shortly after 3:30 a.m. PST on Jan. 24, 1986, from a distance of 660,000 kilometers (410,000 miles). The color was reconstructed from images taken through the narrow-angle camera's violet, clear and green filters. The picture shows features as small as 12 km (7 mi) on the moon's surface. Clearly visible are several large impact craters in Oberon's icy surface surrounded by bright rays similar to those seen on Jupiter's moon Callisto. Quite prominent near the center of Oberon's disk is a large crater with a bright central peak and a floor partially covered with very dark material. This may be icy, carbon-rich material erupted onto the crater floor sometime after the crater formed. Another striking topographic feature is a large mountain, about 6 km (4 mi) high, peeking out on the lower left limb. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Date 01.25.1986
Uranus - family portrait
Title Uranus - family portrait
Description This "family portrait" of Uranus' five largest moons was compiled from images sent back Jan. 20, 1986, by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The pictures were taken through a clear filter from distances of 5.0 million to 6.1 million kilometers (3.1 million to 3.8 million miles). In this comparison, we see the relative sizes and relativities of the satellites. From left, in order of increasing distance from the planet, they are Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. The two largest, Oberon and Titania, are about half the size of Earth's Moon, or roughly, 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) in diameter. Miranda, smallest of the five, has about one-quarter to one-third the diameter. Even in these distant views, the satellites exhibit distinct differences in appearance. On average, Oberon and Titania reflect about 20 percent of the sunlight, Umbriel about 12 percent, Ariel and Miranda about 30 percent. Ariel shows the largest contrast on its surface, with the brightest areas about 25 percent. All five satellites show only slight color variations on their surfaces, with their average color being very nearly gray. The best views of the satellites will be obtained Jan. 24, the day of closest approach. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Date 01.22.1986
Uranus' largest moon Oberon
Title Uranus' largest moon Oberon
Description Uranus' outermost and largest moon, Oberon, is seen in this Voyager 2 image, obtained Jan. 22, 1986, from a distance of 2.77 million kilometers (1.72 million miles). The clear-filter image, shuttered by Voyager's narrow-angle camera, shows that Oberon displays several distinct highly reflective (high-albedo) patches with low-albedo centers. Some of the bright patches are suggestive of radial patterns that could represent impact craters excavated from an icy surface. On average, Oberon reflects about 20 percent of the incident sunlight. The moon is about 1,600 km (1,000 mi) in diameter, resolution of this image is 51 km (32 mi). It was taken two days before Voyager's closest approach to Oberon, at which point the spacecraft will be about 471,000 km (293,000 mi) away. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Date 01.23.1986
Uranus - family portrait
PIA01975
Uranus
Imaging Science Subsystem - …
Title Uranus - family portrait
Original Caption Released with Image This "family portrait" of Uranus' five largest moons was compiled from images sent back Jan. 20, 1986, by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The pictures were taken through a clear filter from distances of 5.0 million to 6.1 million kilometers (3.1 million to 3.8 million miles). In this comparison, we see the relative sizes and relativities of the satellites. From left, in order of increasing distance from the planet, they are Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. The two largest, Oberon and Titania, are about half the size of Earth's Moon, or roughly, 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) in diameter. Miranda, smallest of the five, has about one-quarter to one-third the diameter. Even in these distant views, the satellites exhibit distinct differences in appearance. On average, Oberon and Titania reflect about 20 percent of the sunlight, Umbriel about 12 percent, Ariel and Miranda about 30 percent. Ariel shows the largest contrast on its surface, with the brightest areas about 25 percent. All five satellites show only slight color variations on their surfaces, with their average color being very nearly gray. The best views of the satellites will be obtained Jan. 24, the day of closest approach. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Uranus - Montage of Uranus' …
PIA01361
Uranus
Imaging Science Subsystem - …
Title Uranus - Montage of Uranus' five largest satellites.
Original Caption Released with Image Montage of Uranus' five largest satellites. From top to bottom in order of decreasing distance from Uranus are Oberon, Titania, Umbriel, Ariel, and Miranda. Images are presented to show correct relative sizes and brightness. Coverage is incomplete for Miranda and Ariel, gray circles depict missing areas.
Uranus' largest moon Oberon
PIA01352
Uranus
Imaging Science Subsystem - …
Title Uranus' largest moon Oberon
Original Caption Released with Image Uranus' outermost and largest moon, Oberon, is seen in this Voyager 2 image, obtained Jan. 22, 1986, from a distance of 2.77 million kilometers (1.72 million miles). The clear-filter image, shuttered by Voyager's narrow-angle camera, shows that Oberon displays several distinct highly reflective (high-albedo) patches with low-albedo centers. Some of the bright patches are suggestive of radial patterns that could represent impact craters excavated from an icy surface. On average, Oberon reflects about 20 percent of the incident sunlight. The moon is about 1,600 km (1,000 mi) in diameter, resolution of this image is 51 km (32 mi). It was taken two days before Voyager's closest approach to Oberon, at which point the spacecraft will be about 471,000 km (293,000 mi) away. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Oberon at Voyager Closest Ap …
PIA00034
Uranus
Title Oberon at Voyager Closest Approach
Original Caption Released with Image This Voyager 2 picture of Oberon is the best the spacecraft acquired of Uranus' outermost moon. The picture was taken shortly after 3:30 a.m. PST on Jan. 24, 1986, from a distance of 660,000 kilometers (410,000 miles). The color was reconstructed from images taken through the narrow-angle camera's violet, clear and green filters. The picture shows features as small as 12 km (7 mi) on the moon's surface. Clearly visible are several large impact craters in Oberon's icy surface surrounded by bright rays similar to those seen on Jupiter's moon Callisto. Quite prominent near the center of Oberon's disk is a large crater with a bright central peak and a floor partially covered with very dark material. This may be icy, carbon-rich material erupted onto the crater floor sometime after the crater formed. Another striking topographic feature is a large mountain, about 6 km (4 mi) high, peeking out on the lower left limb. The Voyager project is managed for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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