In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers at the University of British Columbia have found 62 new moons orbiting Saturn, making it the planet with the most moons in our solar system. The discovery was made using advanced image analysis techniques, which allowed the scientists to detect even the smallest moons with diameters as small as 2.5 kilometers. The discovery was the result of a two-year study that involved tracking the movements of the potential moons to confirm their orbits.
Saturn and Jupiter have been vying for the title of the most moon-rich planet in our solar system, with Jupiter taking the lead in 2018 after the discovery of 12 new moons. However, in 2019, astronomers at the Carnegie Institution for Science discovered 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, making it the new champion. Now, with the discovery of 62 new moons, Saturn has solidified its position as the most moon-rich planet in our solar system, with a total of 145 moons.
The newly discovered moons are irregular satellites, meaning they have elliptical orbits that are mostly inclined to the planet’s plane. They are divided into three groups based on their position and movement: the Inuit group, the Gallic group, and the Norse group. The majority of the new moons belong to the Norse group, which was already known for its high number of moons. The discovery of these new moons supports the theory that they are the result of collisions between larger moons in the past.
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