Mayda Insula
First named island on a planetary body other than Earth.
Mayda Insula is an island located within Kraken Mare, a sea of liquid methane on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. It holds the distinction of being the first named island on any planetary body outside Earth.
The island was identified by the Cassini–Huygens mission. Its name, approved by the International Astronomical Union on April 11, 2008, comes from the legendary island of Mayda, once thought to exist in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. The same day also saw the approval of names for Kraken Mare and Ligeia Mare. NASA notes that it remains uncertain whether Mayda Insula is truly an island or a peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. All named insulae on Titan are drawn from mythical islands.
Mayda Insula sits near Titan’s north pole, at the northern end of Kraken Mare. Its northernmost latitude is 80.3° N, its southernmost 77.4° N; its westernmost longitude is about 321.2° W, and its easternmost 302.7° W. At its widest, the island spans 168 kilometers (104 miles). Its dimensions are roughly 90 by 150 kilometers (56 by 93 miles), comparable in size to the Big Island of Hawaii. The interior’s highest point rises about 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) above the shoreline. Slopes are generally gentle, averaging 1.5 degrees, though they can reach 5 degrees in places. Radar images reveal coastlines shaped by fluvial and lacustrine processes. Analysis of these features suggests that around 2 cubic kilometers of material has been eroded from Mayda Insula and deposited elsewhere in the Kraken Mare basin.
In popular culture, Mayda Insula appears in Michael Carroll’s novel *On the Shores of Titan’s Farthest Sea: A Scientific Novel*, whose 39th chapter is titled “The Hunchback of Mayda Insula.” The extreme metal band High Priest of Saturn released an eponymous album in 2013 featuring a song called “On Mayda Insula.” The band described the song’s meaning: “drowning in Kraken Mare is a metaphor for being overcome by fear and anxiety while Mayda Insula is a safe haven where you can find peace.” The album also includes a track titled “Kraken Mare.”
- Discovered by
- Cassini–Huygens mission
- Name approved
- April 11, 2008
- Northernmost latitude
- 80.3° N
- Southernmost latitude
- 77.4° N
- Westernmost longitude
- 321.2° W
- Easternmost longitude
- 302.7° W
- Widest point
- 168 km (104 mi)
- Dimensions
- approximately 90 by 150 km (56 by 93 mi)
- Highest interior point
- approximately 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above shoreline
- Average slope
- approximately 1.5 degrees
Lore & Background
Mayda Insula was discovered by the Cassini–Huygens mission to Saturn. Its name was approved by the International Astronomical Union Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature on April 11, 2008, becoming the first named island on a planetary body other than Earth, and the largest. NASA notes, however, that the possibility Mayda Insula is actually peninsular (i.e., connected to the mainland by a strip of land) cannot be conclusively ruled out. All of the insulae on Titan have been named for legendary islands, and 'Mayda Insula' was derived from the legendary island Mayda which was thought to exist in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Its name was approved the same day as the names of Kraken Mare and Ligeia Mare.
Mayda Insula lies in the northern end of the Kraken Mare near Titan's north pole. The island has a northernmost latitude of 80.3 degrees north and a southernmost latitude of 77.4 degrees north; it has a westernmost longitude of approximately 321.2 degrees west and an easternmost longitude of 302.7 degrees west. The island is 168 kilometres (104 mi) wide at its widest point. Its dimensions are approximately 90 by 150 kilometres (56 by 93 mi), about the same size as the Big Island of Hawaii. The highest point of the interior of Mayda Insula is approximately 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above its shoreline. Slopes are relatively mild at approximately 1.5 degrees on average, though they can approach 5 degrees in some locations. Radar images of Titan's surface show that Mayda Insula's coasts display evidence of being changed by fluvial and lacustrine processes. Analyses of these fluvial features suggested that approximately 2 km³ of material has been eroded from Mayda Insula and deposited elsewhere in the Kraken Mare basin.
Reader's Guide
Mayda Insula holds significance as the first named island on a planetary body other than Earth, marking a milestone in planetary nomenclature. Its discovery by the Cassini–Huygens mission and naming on April 11, 2008, alongside Kraken Mare and Ligeia Mare, established a naming convention for Titan's insulae based on legendary islands. The island's characteristics, including its dimensions comparable to the Big Island of Hawaii and its interior elevation of about 1,200 meters, provide insight into Titan's geology. The uncertainty noted by NASA—that Mayda Insula may actually be a peninsula—highlights the challenges of interpreting remote sensing data. Evidence of fluvial and lacustrine erosion, with approximately 2 km³ of material removed, indicates active surface processes on Titan. In popular culture, Mayda Insula appears in Michael Carroll's novel On the Shores of Titan's Farthest Sea: A Scientific Novel, with a chapter titled 'The Hunchback of Mayda Insula.' The extreme metal band High Priest of Saturn released an eponymous album in 2013 featuring a song titled 'On Mayda Insula,' which they described as a metaphor for finding peace amid fear and anxiety, with Kraken Mare also appearing as a song on the album.
Did You Know?
- Mayda Insula is the first named island on a planet or moon other than Earth.
- Its name was approved on April 11, 2008, the same day as Kraken Mare and Ligeia Mare.
- NASA notes it may actually be a peninsula connected to the mainland.
More in Moons of Saturn, Part 2 1-24
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