Mimas is a moon of Saturn, named after a son of Gaia in Greek mythology. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1789 and is one of the largest moons in the Saturnian system. Mimas is known for its distinctive appearance, with a large impact crater named Herschel on its surface that gives it a resemblance to the Death Star from the Star Wars movies. The crater is approximately 130 kilometers in diameter and nearly one-third the size of Mimas itself. The impact that formed the Herschel crater likely came close to breaking the moon apart. Mimas has a diameter of approximately 396 kilometers and orbits Saturn at a distance of about 185,520 kilometers. It has a very low density, indicating that it is composed primarily of water ice with a small amount of rock. Mimas' orbit is slightly eccentric and inclined, which causes it to be subject to tidal forces from Saturn. These forces result in Mimas being slightly elongated in shape, with its longest axis pointing towards Saturn. The tidal forces also cause internal heating, which is thought to be responsible for the moon's unusual surface features, such as the Herschel crater. Mimas has been studied in detail by several spacecraft, including the Voyager missions and the Cassini spacecraft. Its study has provided important insights into the formation and evolution of the Saturnian system, and its unusual features continue to be the subject of scientific investigation.
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