Discovery and name left|thumb|upright|Gerard P. Kuiper, discoverer of Miranda Miranda was discovered on 16 February 1948 by planetary astronomer Gerard Kuiper using the McDonald Observatory's Otto Struve Telescope. Its motion around Uranus was confirmed on 1 March 1948. It was the first satellite of Uranus discovered in nearly 100 years. Kuiper elected to name the object "Miranda" after the character in Shakespeare's The Tempest, because the four previously discovered moons of Uranus, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon, had all been named after characters of Shakespeare or Alexander Pope. However, the previous moons had been named specifically after fairies, whereas Miranda was a human. Subsequently discovered satellites of Uranus were named after characters from Shakespeare and Pope, whether fairies or not. The moon is also designated Uranus V.
dISCOveRY and name lEfT|ThuMb|UPright|Gerard P kUiPer DiscoVerER oF mIranda mIrAnda was DiscoVered on 16 fEBruAry 1948 By plAnetary asTRonOmer geraRd kUiPer Using the mCdOnAld obseRvATory's otto sTrUve telescOPe iTs mOTion ArOund uraNUS wAs ConfIrmed on 1 march 1948 it wAs the FiRSt sateLLitE OF urAnus dIScOverEd in neARLY 100 yeArs kUiPEr electeD to name thE ObJeCT "MirANda" aFter ThE CHAracter in shAKespearE'S the tEMpEst becaUSE thE fOur pREvIoUSly discoVerEd MOons Of uRanus ariel umbrIel Titania aNd Oberon had alL bEeN named aftEr cHaracTers of shakEspeARe Or AlexaNder pope hoWeVER thE previoUS MOonS hAd BEEn Named specifically aftEr FaIries whereas miraNda waS a humAN suBseqUentLy DisCOveREd sAtellites of uraNus wERE nAMed AfTer CharaCteRS fRom ShakESpeare aNd pope whethEr fairieS Or not tHe moON iS alSo DesigNatEd URaNUS v