MOON PROFILE MIMAS
You could be mistaken in thinking this strange satellite is something pulled straight out of the Star Wars universe. Commonly referred to as the ‘Death Star’ moon, Mimas has only been visited a few times, and could be harbouring secrets below its surface.
Discovered on 17 September 1789 by William Herschel, and later named by his son John Herschel, Mimas is Saturn’s smallest and innermost major moon. Orbiting just 185,539 kilometres (115,300 miles) above the gas giant, the icy moon zips along at high speeds, completing an orbit in just 22 hours and 36 minutes. Akin to our own Moon, Mimas is tidally locked with its host, meaning it keeps the same face towards Saturn as it orbits the planet.
The dinky moon has a mean radius of less than
