,Jupiter now has 92 moons, which is the most in the solar systemas the number of moons orbiting Jupiter has reached an all-time high after the recent discovery of 12 additional moons in the system.
That is a greater number than any other planet that makes up our solar system. Saturn, which was formerly in t place, now holds the position of close second with 83 verified moons.
According to Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution, who was a member of the team that made the discovery, the Jupiter moons were just added to a list that is maintained by the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union.
In the years 2021 and 2022, they were found by astronomers using telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, and subsequent observations confirmed the orbits that they followed. According to Sheppard, the sizes of these most recent moons range anywhere from 0.6 to 2 miles (1 to 3 kilometers) in diameter.
He wrote in an email:
“„I hope we can image one of these outer moons close-up in the near future to better determine their origins.- Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution
Jupiter and many of its largest and most frigid moons will be the focus of an investigation by a spacecraft that will be launched by the European Space Agency in April. In addition, the Europa Clipper will be launched by NASA the following year with the purpose of investigating Jupiter's moon of the same name, Europa, which may have an ocean hidden beneath its icy surface.
Sheppard, who a few years ago discovered a swarm of moons around Saturn and who has taken part in the discovery of 70 moons orbiting Jupiter so far, anticipates that the total number of moons orbiting both of these gas giants will continue to increase.
According to Sheppard, Jupiter and Saturn are both riddled with numerous small moons. These moons are thought to be the remnants of larger moons that were destroyed in collisions with one another or with comets or asteroids. The same is true for Uranus and Neptune, but the fact that they are so far away makes it even more challenging to locate the moon.
To set the record straight, Uranus has 27 confirmed moons, while Neptune has 14, Mars has two, and Earth just has one. The results for Venus and Mercury were negative.
The recently found moons orbiting Jupiter do not yet have names assigned to them. According to Sheppard, just half of them are big enough - at least 1 mile (or around 1.5 kilometers) - to merit a name.