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Encyclopedia > Uranus > Satellites > Cordelia and Ophelia

CORDELIA AND OPHELIA :

SATELLITES VI AND VII OF URANUS,

"SHEPHERDS" OF RING Epsilon



    
Credit : C. J. Hamilton/NASA 

Above, images from Voyager 2 where the "shepherded" ring is clearly visible.

Cordelia (Uranus VI) left, was discovered by Voyager 2 in 1986. It appears as the inner shepherd satellite of the ring epsilon of Uranus.  

Ophelia (Uranus VII) right, was discovered by Voyager 2 in 1986 : this is the outer shepherd satellite of the ring epsilon of Uranus.

  Cordelia : Ophelia :
distance from Uranus in km 49 752 53 764
average size  26 km 30 km 
visual magnitude  24.2 23.9
revolution period 0.335 day 0.376 day
rotation 0.335 day 0.376 day
inclination of the orbit 
on the Uranus' equator		 0.14° 0.09°
eccentricity of the orbit 0.00047 0.0101
density (water=1) 1.5 1.5
   

Origin of the name : click here.