Mimas

Mimas is one of the seven regular moons of Saturn. This moon has a characteristic meteor crater, leading to comparisons with the Death Star. Learn all about Mimas here!

Formation

Mimas took shape within the protoplanetary disk encircling the young Sun. As particles within this disk collided and merged under gravitational forces, Mimas emerged, primarily composed of water ice—an abundant element in the outer disk regions. Forming nearer to Saturn in its circumplanetary disk, Mimas likely underwent internal differentiation, with denser materials sinking to its core and lighter ones forming an icy mantle. Tidal forces from Saturn contributed to its geological activity, potentially driven by heating, while orbital resonances with other moons influenced its dynamics. Mimas' distinct feature, the Herschel crater, formed from an early impact, underscoring the potential violence of the moon's formative years, which shaped its current characteristics and place within the Saturnian system.

Surface

The surface of Mimas is characterized by a striking feature known as the Herschel crater, which plays a defining role in its appearance. This impact crater, measuring about 130 kilometers (81 miles) in diameter, is one of the largest relative to the moon's size, giving Mimas a resemblance to the "Death Star" from Star Wars. The impact that formed the Herschel crater is believed to have been a significant event in Mimas' history, and had it been more forceful or the moon larger, it could have resulted in Mimas being shattered. Apart from the Herschel crater, the moon's surface displays other, relatively smaller impact craters, as well as a generally heavily cratered terrain. These craters provide insights into the moon's geological history and its role in the Saturnian system's evolution. The surface is composed primarily of water ice and ice-rich materials, common characteristics of moons in the outer solar system.

Structure

Mimas likely features a layered internal structure. Its core is believed to be composed of denser materials, potentially rocky in nature, surrounded by an icy mantle primarily made up of water ice and other volatile compounds. Despite its small size, Mimas has garnered attention due to its distinctive structure and surface features, offering insights into its formation and evolution within Saturn's moon system.

Satellites

Cassini conducted multiple flybys of Mimas during its mission, providing detailed observations and images of the moon's surface, structure, and geological features. These flybys allowed scientists to study Mimas' heavily cratered terrain, its distinctive Herschel crater, and its interactions within Saturn's complex moon system. The data collected by Cassini has significantly enhanced our understanding of Mimas' characteristics and its role within Saturn's moon system.