According to the latest scientific data, Saturn now has 274 satellites. This is almost twice as many as all the other planets in the Solar System combined.
Previously, Jupiter held the record for the most moons. However, after the discovery of 128 new Saturnian moons using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, scientists believe it’s unlikely that Jupiter will catch up.
The newly discovered satellites have been officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union. This discovery will allow scientists to learn more about the period when the Solar System was just beginning to form and evolve, a time when planets migrated along unstable orbits and collisions between celestial bodies were commonplace. Interestingly, the recently discovered Saturnian moons appear to be clustered closely together. This suggests they may be remnants of much larger celestial objects that collided with other moons or passing comets, breaking apart into smaller pieces as a result.
Studying Saturn’s moons will also help researchers uncover more about the origin of the planet’s rings.
Share this with your friends!
10
Be the first to comment
Please log in to comment