Astronomers discover 12 more moons on Jupiter and planet breaks record 556e59

Avatar of Thamyris Abreu
The largest planet in the solar system, which now has 92 confirmed moons, has sured Saturn, which held the previous record with 83 natural satellites.

The gas giant, which now holds the titles of the largest planet and the largest number of confirmed moons in its orbit, was under observation between 2021 and 2022 by telescopes in Chile and Hawaii. Scott Sheppard, astronomer of Carnegie Institution, who was part of the team that made the new discoveries, said the moons on jupiter were recently included in a list organized by the Center for Minor Planets of the International Astronomical Union. 476q56

Jupiter arouses the interest of researchers and NASA and the European Space Agency have plans to study the planet soon.

Jupiter is located between Mars and Saturn, being the fifth planet in the order in which the Floorsaws is the reference. Its rotation lasts approximately 10 hours and the translation lasts approximately 12 years.

The discovery of new moons on Jupiter 32274u

Through the Subaru, Víctor M. Blanco and Magalhães telescopes, which pointed out the existence of new moons on Jupiter, through observations made between 2021 and 2022, an observation was carried out by researchers who confirmed their orbits. According to Sheppard, the new discoveries range in size from 0,6 miles to 2 miles, or 1 to 3 kilometers.

"Hopefully we will be able to closely observe one of these outer moons in the near future to better determine its origins"

Scott Sheppard

The recently discovered moons have not yet been named. According to Scott, only half of the satellites are large enough – 1,5 kilometers or more – to be entitled to a name. He further explains that Jupiter and Saturn have several small moons, which he believes are fragments of larger moons that collide with each other or with other celestial bodies such as asteroids or comets. Jupiter's four largest moons, named after Galileo Galilei, who first observed them, are known as Galilean satellites and their names are Ganymede, Callisto, Io and Europa.

The new moons are in the planet's class of irregular moons. The difference between the regular and irregular ones is that the former – which include the Galilean satellites and the planet itself – have their orbit in a counterclockwise direction, in the second class they orbit in a clockwise direction.

New moons are in the class of irregulars, which orbit in a clockwise direction (Image: Star Walk)

Future research plans 42574h

Scott Sheppard, who has already participated in the discovery of many of Saturn's moons and also of 70 of the already known moons around Jupiter, believes that with the new studies that will be done on these planets, their lists of natural satellites can increase even more.

The European Space Agency intends to send a spacecraft to Jupiter in April this year, with the intention of studying the planet and its largest moons. And in 2024, NASA plans to launch Europa Clipper to explore Jupiter's eponymous moon, which the agency says may harbor an ocean beneath its icy crust. Scott further mentions, "We have been making these discoveries of new moons in Jupiter quite by chance, as our main study looks for planets in the outer solar system beyond Pluto."

The gas giant and its moons have aroused the interest of researchers because they are varied in nature and can hide very interesting discoveries. In addition to the new surveys that are to take place soon, there is also the moon called Io – one of the four largest – which has been observed since 2016 by NASA's space probe, Juno. This probe is due to fly by the moon, which is known to be "explosive" in mid-December of this year.

Discover all of Jupiter's moons 4gh69

The representation of the orbits of the various moons of Jupiter

Some moons in Jupiter have yet to be named, including the new discoveries. Some receive a generic nomenclature or a code. The following are the 57 named moons to date.

adraste: Discovered in 1979 by the Voyager science team.

Aitne: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.

Amalthea: Discovered in 1892 by astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard.

ananke: Discovered in 1951 by the American astronomer Seth Barnes Nicholson, with the help of the Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory, California.

aoede: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan T. Kleyna, Yanga R. Fernandez, and Henry H. Hsieh during observations at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Ark: Discovered in 2002 by Scott S. Sheppard at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Autonomous: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Callirrhoe: Discovered in 1999 by Jim V. Scotti, Timothy B. Spahr, Robert S. McMillan, Jeffrey A. Larsen, Joe Montani, Arianna E. Gleason and Tom Gehrels from observations made in the Spacewatch course at the University of Arizona.

Calisto: Discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei.

Cratered moon Callisto is the second largest in the solar system

Carme: Discovered in 1938 by Seth Barnes Nicholson during observations with the Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory, California.

Carpo: Discovered in 2003 by a team of astronomers from the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

chaldene: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yange R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the observatory on Mauna Kea.

cyllene: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard and his team at the University of Hawaii at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Day: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David Jewitt, YR Fernandez and G. Magnier in Hawaii. 

eirene: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Elara: Discovered in 1905 by American astronomer Charles Dillon Perrine via the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton at the University of California, San Jose.

erinome: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii.

ersa: Discovered by Scott S. Sheppard and his team in 2018 but first seen in 2017.

Euanthe: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

eukelade: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard in Hawaii.

euphemism: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Euporie: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii.

Europe: Discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei.

The moon Europa may have an ocean on its surface and is the moon with the most characteristics conducive to life beyond Earth

eurydome: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt and Jan T. Kleyna in Hawaii.

Ganymede: Discovered in 1610 by the scientist Galileo Galilei.

The moon Ganymede is the largest in the solar system

Harpalyke: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Hegemon: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Jan T. Kleyna, Yanga R. Fernandez, and Henry H. Hsieh at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Sounds: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard in Hawaii.

hermippus: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.

Harrow: Discovered in 2003 by Brett J. Glan, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit and Lynne Allen.

himalia: Discovered in 1904 by American astronomer Charles Dillon Perrine via photographs from the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton at the University of California.

Io: Discovered in 1610 by the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei.

Moon Io: The most volcanically active moon in the solar system

Jocasta: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.

Isonoe: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier in Hawaii.

Castle: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Kallichore: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Kalyke: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Kore: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt and Jan T. Kleyna in Hawaii.

Leda: Discovered in 1974 by the American astronomer Charles Thomas Kowal during observations at the Palomar Observatory, California.

Lysithea: Discovered in 1938 by American astronomer Seth Barnes Nicholson with the Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory.

megaclite: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene A. Magnier in Hawaii.

Metis: Discovered in 1979 by the science team of the Voyager program.

mneme: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard and Brett Joseph Glan at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

The Galilean satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto

Orthosie: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, Yanga R. Fernandez and David C. Jewitt at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

pandia: Discovered by Scott S. Sheppard and his team in 2018 but first seen in 2017.

pasiphae: Discovered in 1908 by the astronomer Philibert Jacques Melotte with the Cassegrain telescope at the Greenwich Observatory.

pastiee: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Philophrosyne: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard in Hawaii.

Praxidike: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Synopsis: Discovered in 1914 by the American astronomer Seth Barnes Nicholson during research at the Lick Observatory in California. 

Banks: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.

taygete: Discovered in 2000 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, Yanga R. Fernandez and Eugene Magnier at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Thebe: Discovered in 1980 by the science team of the Voyager program, it was seen through images of Voyager 1.

Thelxinoe: Discovered in 2003 by Scott S. Sheppard and Brett J. Glan at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.

Themisto: First discovered in 1975 by astronomers Charles Thomas Kowal and Elizabeth Roemer. It was lost until 2000, when it was rediscovered by Sheppard and his team using the Subaru Telescope at the Mauna Kea Observatory.

Thyone: Discovered in 2001 by Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt, and Jan T. Kleyna at the Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.

valetudo: Discovered by Scott S. Sheppard and his team in 2018 but first seen in 2017.

Pig iron: CBSNews, Space e Sheet

See also other features

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