Cupid

Cupid

Cupid entered the astronomical stage when it was discovered on August 25, 2003 by a group of  astronomers lead by Mark R. Showalter using the Hubble Space Telescope. This moon's name draws inspiration from a character in the William Shakespeare work “Timon of Athens”. Cupid possesses relatively modest dimensions, with an estimated diameter of about 18 kilometers (11 miles), resulting in a correspondingly low mass and gravitational influence. In terms of its orbital characteristics, Cupid maintains a moderate distance from Uranus and orbits the planet in the prograde direction, aligning with the same direction as the planet's rotation. The exact composition and origins of Cupid continue to be subjects of ongoing scientific investigation. It is widely believed to be primarily composed of water ice and rocky material, a composition commonly found among numerous moons in the outer solar system. Cupid's formation likely resulted from the gradual accretion of material in the vicinity of Uranus. Cupid belongs to a group of inner moons of Uranus, which includes other small moons like Belinda and Perdita. Its interactions with these moons, as well as the larger moons like Miranda, influence its orbital dynamics within the Uranian moon system.