Moons are also known as natural satellites of a planet and they may come in many shapes, sizes, and types. In the Solar System alone, there are hundreds of them with Saturn previously holding the most number of moons before Jupiter has taken over.
CBS News reported that astronomerzs have recently discovered 12 new moons orbiting the biggest planet in the Solar System. That means it is breaking Saturn's record with a total of 92 moons.
Jupiter's 12 New Moons
Currently, Jupiter has the most number of moons in the Solar System, pushing Saturn into second place with 83 verified moons. Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution, who is part of the research, said that the Jupiter moons were recently added to a list held by the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union.
These new moons were discovered in 2021 and 2022 using telescopes in Hawaii and Chile. Subsequent observations of the celestial bodies confirmed their orbits.
Sheppard noted that the size of the newest moons ranges from 0.6 to 2 kilometers. He wrote in an email to CBS News on Friday that they hope to scan one of these outer moons in the near future to better understand and identify their origins.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch a spacecraft to Jupiter in April to explore the planet and four of its largest, icy moons. In addition, NASA will launch the Europa Clipper next year to investigate Jupiter's moon of the same name, which may have an ocean beneath its icy crust.
Where Did They Come From?
Sheppard has already taken part in discovering 70 moons so far around Jupiter and expects to keep adding to both gas giants' lunar tally. Jupiter and Saturn are both loaded with small moons, which are believed to be fragments of some of their bigger moons that collided with one another or with asteroids and comets.
He noted that a similar thing could have also happened for Uranus and Neptune, but they are so distant that it makes spotting new moons around them even harder.
Currently, Uranus has 27 known moons while Neptune has 14, Mars has two moons, and Earth has one Moon. But the two planets closest to the Sun, Mercury and Venus, do not have any natural satellites.
Naming the Moons in the Solar System
The newly discovered moons of Jupiter have not received their official names yet and Sheppard said that only 50% of them are big enough to warrant a name.
According to NASA, most moons in the Solar System are named for mythological characters from different cultures. However, Uranus' moons are named for characters in the plays of William Shakespeare, like Ophelia and Puck. Other names also include Belinda and Ariel from Alexander Pope's poetry.
But they were first given provisional designations before the International Astronomical Union approves an official name when their existence is confirmed.
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