Ferdinand

Ferdinand

Ferdinand was brought into the realm of celestial knowledge when it was discovered in 2001, by a group of astronomers lead by Mathew J. Holman. Named in homage to a character from William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," this moon exhibits a relatively small size, boasting an estimated diameter of approximately 12 kilometers. In terms of its orbital characteristics, Ferdinand maintains a wide orbit around Uranus and is categorized as an irregular moon. Notably, it follows a moderately inclined and retrograde orbit, signifying that it revolves around Uranus in the opposite direction of the planet's rotation. The exact composition and origins of Ferdinand continue to be subjects of ongoing scientific inquiry. However, it is believed to be predominantly composed of water ice and rocky materials, a composition frequently encountered among many moons in the outer solar system. Its formation may have been due to capture from more distant regions, such as the Kuiper Belt or the scattered disk. Ferdinand belongs to the "Irregular Group," a cluster of moons sharing similar attributes.