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A Journey to the End of Time

The Solar System in 3D, in real time

A simulation of the Solar System driven by real ephemerides. The Sun, the planets, Pluto and the major moons, space probes, the International Space Station, nearby stars and the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way are where they really are at the chosen moment. You can run time from 1700 to 2100, fly from one object to another and look at the sky from anywhere on Earth.

Mimas

Moon of Saturn

Facts

Mean diameter
396 km
Mean distance from the planet
186,000 km
Orbital period
22.6 hours
Discovery
William Herschel, 17 September 1789

Mimas is the smallest and innermost of Saturn's major moons. Herschel crater, a third as wide as the moon, makes it look like the Death Star from Star Wars: the impact that made it probably nearly broke the moon apart.

Its low density shows that it is made almost entirely of water ice. It is named after a giant slain by Mars in the war of the Titans; the name was chosen by John Herschel, the discoverer's son.

Sources