Today Titania and Oberon are recognized in the history of astronomy.
The five largest of Uranus’s 28 moons are shown in this composite. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
In March 1781, William Herschel observed the seventh known planet in our solar system. he wanted to name it georgia sidus (Star of George), after King George III. Astronomers outside Britain were not keen on the planet being named after a British king, and recommended continuing the tradition of naming planets after mythological characters; It will be known as Uranus.
Six years later, now working as King George’s personal astronomer, Herschel would discover the planet’s two largest moons on January 11, 1787. He had opted not to use his favorite telescope, a piece with a 6-inch aperture and 7-foot-focal length, but instead chose a new front-view scope that used only one mirror, reflecting light from that mirror directly to the eyepiece. This construction made small objects brighter and Herschel considered it a decisive factor in his discovery. His son John later named the moons Titania and Oberon.
Titania and Oberon, like most of the outer Solar System, would remain largely unknown until 1986, when Voyager 2 flew by. Investigations revealed that Titania is geologically active and has a system of faults, while Oberon appears to be ancient and inactive.
