Ferdinand is a moon of Uranus, part of the Solar System in the universe. Uranus is a planet associated with the Sun, our star, and this space encyclopedia describes the moon’s identity and place in its planetary system.

Ferdinand — A natural satellite of Uranus. Its physical properties and orbital motion are shown from the available catalogue and ephemeris data.

No object-specific chemical/elemental dataset has been verified and imported for this record. This does not mean none is publicly available. Appearance may be imagined; chemistry is not.

Discovery and designation
Ferdinand was discovered in 2001. JPL credits D. Milisavljevic, M. Holman, J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav. Its provisional designation is S/2001 U2. The name and discovery entry identify this particular satellite of Uranus; similarly named asteroids are separate objects.

Ferdinand was discovered on Aug, 13, 2001 by Dan Milisavljevic, Matthew J. Holman, John J. Kavelaars, and Tommy Grav, at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

Ferdinand is a very small, dark moon (about 20 km in diameter) which orbits Uranus at a greater distance than any other known satellite of that planet. Its orbit is highly eccentric and in the opposite direction from the regular moons and the rotation of the planet, itself―known as a retrograde orbit. This suggests that it was an independent body that was captured by Uranus' gravity. Little else is known about it.

Originally called S/2001 U2, Ferdinand was named for the son of Alonso, king of Naples in William Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest." Ferdinand eventually marries Miranda, daughter of Prospero, and aids his father-in-law in regaining his Dukedom in Milan.