titania

Titania is a name that appears in astronomy, chemistry, and literature, referring to distinct subjects. In astronomy, Titania is the largest moon of the planet Uranus. In chemistry and industry, titania is an informal name for titanium dioxide, a widely used white pigment. In literature, Titania is the queen of the fairies in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Titania (moon) was discovered by William Herschel in 1787 and is the largest of Uranus's moons by diameter. It orbits Uranus with an approximately circular trajectory and completes an orbital period of about 8.7 days. The Voyager 2 flyby in 1986 provided images of a heavily cratered surface with extensive canyon-like features, indicating a long geological history. The surface is thought to be dominated by water ice with non-ice materials mixed in.

Titania as a pigment refers to titanium dioxide (TiO2), known as titanium white. It is widely used in paints, plastics, coatings, and cosmetics for its brightness and opacity. Titanium dioxide occurs mainly in two crystalline forms, anatase and rutile, and is also used in various industrial applications. Safety considerations apply, especially for nanoparticle forms in consumer products.

In literature, Titania is the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is married to Oberon and is briefly enchanted by a magic potion that makes her fall in love with the rustic Bottom, leading to comic complications before the two are reconciled. The character is a staple reference in discussions of Shakespearean fantasy.