An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The seventh of Saturn’s known satellites. It is 392 km in diameter and orbits Saturn at a mean distance of 185,520 km. Mimas’ low density (1.17) indicates that it is composed mostly of water ice with only a small amount of rock. The surface is saturated with impact craters, dominated by the largest one measuring 130 km across, known as Herschel. Mimas was discovered in 1789 by Herschel.

See also: In Gk. mythology, Mimas was one of the Gigantes slain by Hephaestus, the god of fire, volcanism, smiths and craftsmen, with barrage of red-hot metal.