Jupiter has the most moons!
Recommended for Preparatory Grades
With the discovery of 12 additional moons, Jupiter is the planet with the most moons in the solar system. According to astronomers, Jupiter is the new “moon master” of the solar system.
Jupiter is the largest and most massive planet in the solar system. Furthermore, the gas giant also boasts the largest number of moons orbiting it.
Scientists discovered another 12 moons, bringing Jupiter’s total up to 92 moons.
Key facts!
- The orbits of the twelve moons of Jupiter were published by the Minor Planet Center (MPC).
- The Minor Planet Center is administered by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
- According to experts, it takes all of Jupiter’s new moons more than 340 days on Earth to complete one orbit of Jupiter.
- This is because they orbit Jupiter at great distances from its surface.
- Of 12 new moons, nine of them are exceptionally far away.
- Thus these nine moons have orbits that are longer than 550 days.
- Also, these moons are all relatively small.
- Experts claim that only five of those nine moons have a diameter that is bigger than 8 km.
- The nine moons that are particularly far away also circle Jupiter in the opposite direction of its rotation.
- In contrast, the inner moons circle the planet in the same direction as its rotation.
- The newly discovered moons have the potential to serve as excellent targets for future missions that are scheduled to make flybys of Jupiter.
- These missions are scheduled to launch in October 2024, planned by NASA.
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Watch a video
Youtube user “Free School” shares an informative video on Jupiter for kids.
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