Umbriel (U II Umbriel) is the larger third satellite of Uranus. He was discovered in 1851 by William Lassell.

Composition

Umbriel is the darkest satellite of Uranus and also least active geologically, made up mainly of Glace of Eau, the remainder making up of Silicate S and with 20% of ice of Méthane (CH₄). Its surface is covered with craters of impact.

Surface

One of the characteristics of the surface of Umbriel is the crater Wunda, a broad brilliant material ring 140 km in diameter close to the equator of the satellite. The nature of this ring is not known, but it could be a question of a deposit of ice, perhaps following an impact.

Toponymy

The name “Umbriel” comes from a character of “ The Rape off the Lock ” (“the stolen loop of hair”) of the poet Alexander Pope. In this work, Umbriel is the evil spirit: the names of the remarkable formations were selected among and the underground world evil spirits of various mythologies: Zlyden, Setibos, Minepa, Alberich, End, Gob, Kanaloa, Perished, Skynd, Vuver.

See too

• Natural satellite of Uranus

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