Sycorax (moon)

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Sycorax
Discovery
Discovered by Philip D. Nicholson,
Brett J. Gladman,
Joseph A. Burns,
John J. Kavelaars
using the 200-inch Hale telescope
Discovered in September 6, 1997
Orbital characteristics
Mean radius 12,179,000 km
Eccentricity 0.5224
Orbital period 1288.28 d
Inclination 146.84° (to Uranus' equator)
159.403° (to the local Laplace plane)
152.51° (to the ecliptic)
Is a satellite of Uranus
Physical characteristics
Mean diameter 190 km
Surface area ~113,000 km2
Volume ~3,600,000 km3
Mass 5.4Template:E kg
Mean density ~1.5 g/cm3
Surface gravity ~0.040 m/s2
Escape velocity ~0.087 km/s
Rotation period  ?
Axial tilt  ?°
Albedo 0.07 (assumed)
Surface temp.
min mean max
 ? K ~64 K  ? K
Atmospheric pressure 0 kPa

Sycorax (sik'-or-aks, IPA Template:IPA) is a moon of Uranus. Sycorax was discovered on 1997-09-06 by Brett J. Gladman, Philip D. Nicholson, Joseph A. Burns, and John J. Kavelaars using the 200-inch Hale telescope. It was given the temporary designation S/1997 U 2. It is also designated Uranus XVII.

They also discovered the moon Caliban at the same time.

Its orbital radius is approximately 12.2 million km from Uranus and is about 190 km in diameter, but this size estimate is based on the moon's apparent brightness and the assumption that it has an albedo of about 0.07. Its orbit is retrograde and highly inclined. Sycorax's composition is probably a mixture of rock and ice, and its unusually red color suggests a historical link with the Kuiper belt; Sycorax is probably a captured Kuiper Belt object.

Sycorax is named after Caliban's mother in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest.

Image:Uranus2 symbol.ant.png Uranus (satellites) edit
Cordelia | Ophelia | Bianca | Cressida | Desdemona | Juliet | Portia | Rosalind | Cupid
Belinda | Perdita | Puck | Mab | Miranda | Ariel | Umbriel | Titania | Oberon | Francisco
Caliban | Stephano | Trinculo | Sycorax | Margaret | Prospero | Setebos | Ferdinand
See also: Pronunciation key | Rings of Uranus
bg:Сикоракс (спътник)

bs:Sikoraks (mjesec) da:Sycorax (måne) de:Sycorax (Mond) fr:Sycorax hr:Sycorax nl:Sycorax (maan) pl:Sykoraks (księżyc) ru:Сикоракса (спутник Урана) sk:Sycorax (mesiac) sv:Sycorax zh:天卫十七