Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun, is orbited by a complex system of satellites, with Titania being the largest among them. Titania is one of the five major moons orbiting the planet, and its size makes it the eighth-largest moon in the entire solar system. To understand its relationship with the ice giant, one must pinpoint the specific orbital parameters that define the distance between them.
Titania’s Fixed Orbital Radius
The standard astronomical answer to the question of Titania’s distance from Uranus is its semi-major axis, which represents the moon’s average orbital radius. This mean distance is calculated to be approximately 436,300 kilometers, or about 271,100 miles. This figure is the most useful for general reference because it accounts for the small variations that occur during the moon’s revolution.
In celestial mechanics, the semi-major axis defines the overall size of an elliptical orbit, offering a stable and constant reference point. This measurement is taken from the center of Uranus to the center of Titania’s orbital path.
Understanding Titania’s Orbital Dynamics
While the average distance is fixed, the actual separation between Titania and Uranus constantly changes slightly due to the orbit being an ellipse, not a perfect circle. Titania’s orbital path has a very low eccentricity, meaning its path is nearly circular, which minimizes the variation in distance. The moon completes one full revolution around Uranus in approximately 8.7 Earth days.
This orbital period is precisely matched by the moon’s rotation period, a condition known as synchronous rotation, or tidal locking. As a result, Titania always presents the same hemisphere toward Uranus throughout its orbit. The moon’s orbital plane is also situated very close to the planet’s equatorial plane, with an inclination of less than half a degree relative to the equator.
Titania’s Place Among Uranus’s Major Moons
Titania’s orbital distance provides context when compared to the other four major satellites in the Uranian system. These five largest moons—Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon—orbit in a clear progression of increasing distance from the planet. Titania’s position at 436,300 kilometers places it as the second-farthest of this group.
It orbits well outside the path of Umbriel, which maintains an average distance of about 266,000 kilometers. Conversely, Titania is closer to Uranus than the outermost major moon, Oberon, which orbits at a mean distance of approximately 583,400 kilometers.