The “Death Star” is near Saturn

Many people have compared Mimas to the “Death Star” from the movie Star Wars due to its striking resemblance. Although it is not a perfect sphere—being somewhat deformed by Saturn’s gravitational pull—one of its sides stands out with an enormous crater, Herschel, measuring 130 km in diameter, mirroring the proportions and position seen in the film. Considering that the average diameter of this moon is 397 km, the crater’s immense size becomes clear, as evidenced by the fracture lines on the opposite side of the satellite, a result of the tremendous impact that created it. The frigid temperature of its surface (-209°C) seems fitting for its “Death Star” likeness, as does its low reflectivity (albedo of 0.07).
 
One peculiar feature of this moon is the wobble it exhibits around its polar axis, suggesting that its interior is not uniform. Some speculate that it may have a melon-shaped rocky core, while others propose the existence of an internal ocean beneath a layer of ice, approximately 25 to 30 km thick, which could partially explain this wobbling motion.
 
Beyond the Herschel crater, Mimas’ surface has reached a point of saturation, meaning any new asteroid impact would inevitably strike one of the countless craters already covering it. While it’s uncertain whether Mimas experienced geological activity in the past, it displays very ancient grooves, about 1 km deep, which might hint at such internal processes. Across its rugged terrain, some craters have walls rising up to 4 km high, containing dusty material likely produced by landslides. 

Additionally, despite the prevailing cold, not all areas of the surface share the same temperature, with some regions detected as being slightly less frigid.

Mimas orbits Saturn at a distance of 185,520 km and is tidally locked, always presenting the same face to the planet. It completes one orbit in nearly a day (22.5 hours). Its gravity, meanwhile, is a mere 0.07.
 
Finally, it’s worth noting a curious role Mimas plays: it helps clear particles from the gap between Saturn’s A and B rings.
 

A chance encounter will take him far away, on a thrilling adventure full of action and emotion that will change his life... but also the lives of everyone around him…
“Fleeing into silence”: https://a.co/d/7SUfVb3