Science

nitpicker

(7,153 posts) Tue Oct 8, 2019, 07:30 AM Oct 2019

Saturn overtakes Jupiter as planet with most moons in solar system

https://www.dw.com/en/saturn-overtakes-jupiter-as-planet-with-most-moons-in-solar-system/a-50731365

Saturn overtakes Jupiter as planet with most moons in solar system

Saturn has overtaken Jupiter as the solar system's planet with the most moons after scientists discovered 20 more orbiting the ringed-planet. Scientists on Monday said the 20 additional moons were discovered during the summer, bringing Saturn's total to 82 moons — pipping Jupiter's 79.

A team led by Scott Shephard of the Carnegie Institution for Science spotted Saturn's new moons using a telescope in Hawaii. The moons are tiny when compared to others, measuring just 5 kilometers (3 miles) in diameter.
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The Carnegie Institution for Science has now launched a public moon-naming competition for the newly discovered moons.

Mini-moons around planets are difficult to spot as more powerful telescopes are needed to find them. There may still be around 100 further moons waiting to be discovered around Saturn, according to Sheppard, but a larger telescope will be needed in the future to spot them.
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4 replies

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Saturn overtakes Jupiter as planet with most moons in solar system (Original Post) nitpicker Oct 2019 OP

There's always a clip from "The West Wing" PJMcK Oct 2019 #1

Come on, Jupiter, you ain't gonna take that shit from Saturn, are ya? 3Hotdogs Oct 2019 #2

This message was self-deleted by its author lordsummerisle Oct 2019 #3

An artists conception of the newly discovered moons' orbits. Jim__ Oct 2019 #4

PJMcK

(22,037 posts)

1. There's always a clip from "The West Wing"

Reply to nitpicker (Original post)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 07:45 AM

Oct 2019

Josh Lyman is being taught about the planets in our solar system and a NASA scientist shows him Jupiter through a telescope.

Alex: Jupiter. The dots on either side are the four Galilean moons. You're seeing what Galileo saw 400 years ago.

Josh: I remember studying Jupiter. It has 13 moons.

Alex: Yeah. It has 61.

Josh: 61?

I guess astronomers have found a few more moons since then.

3Hotdogs

(12,384 posts)

2. Come on, Jupiter, you ain't gonna take that shit from Saturn, are ya?

Reply to nitpicker (Original post)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 07:45 AM

Oct 2019

Response to nitpicker (Original post)

lordsummerisle This message was self-deleted by its author.

Jim__

(14,077 posts)

4. An artists conception of the newly discovered moons' orbits.

Reply to nitpicker (Original post)

Tue Oct 8, 2019, 11:29 AM

Oct 2019

From phys.org:

An artist’s conception of the 20 newly discovered moons orbiting Saturn. These discoveries bring the planet’s total moon count to 82, surpassing Jupiter for the most in our Solar System. Studying these moons can reveal information about their formation and about the conditions around Saturn at the time. Illustration is courtesy of the Carnegie Institution for Science. Credit: Saturn image is courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute. Starry background courtesy of Paolo Sartorio/Shutterstock.

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