Stephano 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.

Stephano — 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
Stephano was discovered in 1999. JPL credits B. Gladman, M. Holman, J.J. Kavelaars, J.-M. Petit, H. Scholl. Its provisional designation is S/1999 U2. The name and discovery entry identify this particular satellite of Uranus; similarly named asteroids are separate objects.

Stephano was discovered on July 18, 1999 by Brett Gladman, Matthew Holman, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, and Hans Scholl using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatory on the island of Hawaii. They discovered Prospero and Setebos at the same time.

About 20 miles (32 kilometers) in diameter (assuming an albedo of 0.04), Stephano is a small, dark moon which orbits Uranus in the opposite direction from the regular satellites and the planet's rotation (a retrograde orbit). Its orbital characteristics are similar to those of Caliban, suggesting a common origin.

Originally called S/1999 U2, Stephano was named for a boisterous butler of King Alonso in William Shakespeare's play, "The Tempest."