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Today in History: William Lassell discovers Uranus moons Umbriel and Ariel

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 10:35 AM UTC · How we work

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On 24 October 1851, English astronomer William Lassell discovered Uranus’s moons Umbriel and Ariel using his improved reflecting telescope. Umbriel, the third-largest moon, is the darkest Uranian satellite, while Ariel ranks fourth. Both moons were named after characters from Alexander Pope’s poem *The Rape of the Lock*.

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Story summary

On 24 October 1851, English astronomer William Lassell discovered Uranus’s moons Umbriel and Ariel using his improved reflecting telescope. Umbriel, the third-largest moon, is the darkest Uranian satellite, while Ariel ranks fourth. Both moons were named after characters from Alexander Pope’s poem *The Rape of the Lock*.