Mimas is one of Saturn's icy moons. It is not a large body, only 392 km in diameter. It revolves around Saturn at a distance of 185 x 103 km from Saturn in 0.9 days. Like most of the other moons, Mimas is locked in rotation with one side permanently facing Saturn.

     The density of Mimas is less than 1.2 g/cm3 which indicates the moon is composed about 70 percent icy material and the rest being rocky material.

     Mimas is heavily cratered, and on one side is the large crater Herschel, named after a noted astronomer. Herschel is 130 km in diameter, almost 1/4 the diameter of Mimas itself! The crater has a raised rim and central peak typical of large impact craters. Such an impact would have very nearly destroyed Mimas entirely.

     Another large feature on Mimas is a canyon which runs about 1/2 the diameter the moon. The canyon is centered just opposite of the crater Herschel, and it may well be related to the impact.