Saturnus Moons Discovery: 128 New Potatoes-Shaped Moons Found
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Science
March 12, 2025 08:39
- Astronomers discover 128 new moons around Saturn, possibly from collisions, making it the moon king of the solar system with 274 moons.
Saturnus Moon Discovery
Astronomers found 128 new moons around Saturn, possibly remnants of collisions, totaling 274 moons.
Moon King of the Solar System
- Saturn surpasses all other planets combined in moon count.
- Jupiter follows with 95 moons, Uranus with 28, and Neptunus with 16.
Characteristics of the New Moons
- The moons are small irregular shapes, resembling potatoes, with diameters of a few kilometers.
- Moon clusters are believed to be fragments of larger objects captured by Saturn.
Potential Recent Chaotic Events
Clusters like Mundilfari may have formed from collisions within Saturn's orbit, hinting at recent chaos in the solar system.
Naming the Moons
- Currently labeled with letters and numbers, Dr. Edward Ashton will name them, possibly based on Norse, Gallian, or Inuit gods.
- As most new moons are in the Norse cluster, finding unused Viking gods' names poses a challenge.