rhea

Rhea may refer to several distinct subjects in mythology, astronomy, and biology.

In Greek mythology, Rhea is a Titaness, daughter of Gaia and Uranus, and the wife and sister of Cronus. She is the mother of the first generation of Olympian gods: Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus. Rhea is associated with fertility and motherhood, and her cult was widespread in the ancient world. In myth she helped Zeus to overthrow Cronus by concealing him and by providing a rock for Cronus to swallow, allowing the Olympian uprising to proceed.

Rhea is also the name of a mid-sized moon of Saturn. It has a diameter of about 1,500 kilometers and orbits Saturn at roughly 527,000 kilometers with an orbital period near 4.5 days. The surface is heavily cratered and is believed to be composed largely of water ice with a smaller rocky component. Rhea is thought to be a differentiated body but has no substantial atmosphere or global magnetic field.

In biology, Rhea is a genus of large, flightless birds native to South America. Two commonly recognized species are the greater rhea (Rhea americana) and the lesser rhea (Rhea pennata). Rheas are tall, long-legged birds that feed on a varied diet of plants, seeds, insects, and small animals. They inhabit open grasslands and savannas in countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and parts of Chile and Peru. Reproduction involves males incubating clutches in communal nests.