Eccentricity and inclination of Miranda's orbit

Careful re-measurement of all available plates showing Uranus V (Miranda), supplemented by some recently obtained images, shows that this satellite has both a pronounced orbital eccentricity and inclination (to the plane of the other satellites). Observations are sufficient in number and distribution to allow determinations of the precession rates of both pericenter and node, with implications for the dynamical oblateness of Uranus and the gravitational interaction of the satellites. An improved value for the revolution period is a by-product of the investigation. The success of this study is due to the improved precision of the measures resulting from the adoption of a very simple, direct method of measurement.