The smallest and innermost of the five large moons is Miranda. This satellite is marked by fracture lines, craters, and ridges. It is 292 miles (470 km) across. It orbits Uranus at a distance of about 81,000 miles (130,000 km). Miranda is the site of the most impressive scarp in the solar system. It runs for many miles. It plunges down more than 15,000 feet (4572 m) to the floor of a valley. That's twice as tall as Mt. Everest, Earth's highest mountain.
Scientists thought Miranda would be a smooth, icy ball. Instead, its surface is all broken up. The fractures may be caused by Uranus. Miranda bulges slightly because of Uranus's gravity. As the moon rotates, Uranus pulls on one side and then the other. It eventually
