Saturn has 128 new moons – more than the rest of the planets combined
New Scientist1 day ago
Astronomers Discover 128 New Moons Orbiting Saturn
Above: Saturn as seen from the Cassini–Huygens space-research mission. Image copyright: Unsplash
The Facts
The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center recognized 128 new moons orbiting Saturn on Tuesday, bringing its total to 274 moons — surpassing Jupiter's 95 moons. This makes Saturn the planet with the most satellites in the solar system.
The discovery was made in 2023 using the Canada France Hawaii Telescope at Mauna Kea, following up on previous observations from 2019-2021 that had identified 62 moons. The research team's findings were published Monday.
All newly discovered moons are irregular satellites measuring between 2-4 kilometers (1.2-2.5 miles) in diameter. They orbit at highly angled slopes relative to Saturn's equator and extend from 6.5M to 18M miles from the planet.
The Spin
Narrative A
This discovery is a significant breakthrough in understanding the solar system's evolution. It suggests more recent dynamic activity than previously thought, with the potential for thousands more moons awaiting discovery around Saturn.
Narrative B
The increasing number of small objects being classified as moons raises questions about what should qualify as a moon, with some scientists calling for more precise definitions and potential size limitations for moon classification.
