Ophelia 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.

Ophelia — 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
Ophelia was discovered in 1986. JPL credits Voyager Science Team. Its provisional designation is S/1986 U8. The name and discovery entry identify this particular satellite of Uranus; similarly named asteroids are separate objects.

Ophelia was discovered in January 1986 in images sent back by the Voyager 2 spacecraft during its flyby of Uranus.

Ophelia is one of the small inner moons of Uranus. Ophelia appears to be the outer satellite straddling Uranus' bright Epsilon ring. Ophelia and Cordelia are believed to herd the ring material into shape and keep it from drifting into space. All of Uranus' inner moons (those observed by Voyager 2) appear to be roughly half water ice and half rock.

This moon was originally designated S/1986 U8, but was later renamed for the character of Ophelia in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and fiance of Hamlet in the play.