Oberon is the second largest moon of Uranus. Discovered in 1787, little was known about this moon until Voyager 2 passed it during its flyby of Uranus in January 1986. Oberon is heavily cratered -- similar to Umbriel -- especially when compared to three other moons of Uranus: Ariel, Titania and Miranda. Like all of Uranus' large moons, Oberon is composed of roughly half ice and half rock. Oberon has at least one large mountain that rises about 6 km off the surface.
Discovery:
Oberon was discovered in January 1787 by William Herschel.
How Oberon Got its Name:
Oberon is named for the king of the fairies in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Moons of Uranus are named for characters in William Shakespeare's plays and from Alexander Pope's "Rape of the Lock."
