Oberon, Moon of Uranus

space · icy moon · Uranus · solar system

Second largest moon. Oberon is the second-biggest moon that orbits Uranus, making it a true giant in the outer solar system where moons can be smaller and farther apart than you might expect.

Found by Herschel. A scientist named William Herschel discovered Oberon way back in 1787 using his telescope, and it was one of the amazing discoveries of that era.

Named after a fairy king. The moon got its name from Oberon, the magical king of fairies in Shakespeare's famous play called A Midsummer Night's Dream, just like many other moons in our solar system have names from stories and myths.

Partially outside magnetosphere. Oberon's orbit is special because part of it travels outside the magnetic shield that surrounds Uranus, meaning it sometimes gets exposed to more of the solar wind from the Sun.

Frozen and distant. Oberon is made mostly of ice and rock and sits so far from the Sun that it's incredibly cold, making it one of the most distant and frozen worlds in our solar system.