Astronomers Accidentally Discover 12 Moons Orbiting Jupiter

Astronomers Accidentally Discover 12 Moons Orbiting Jupiter

ROBERTO MOLAR CANDANOSA/CARNEGIE INSTITUTION FOR SCIENCE 

Astronomers have accidentally stumbled across 12 moons previously undetected in orbit around Jupiter, bringing the new total in orbit around the massive planet to 79.

Scientists were looking for the evasive object, Planet X. This planet lies just beyond Pluto and it is roughly the size of Mars. While searchin
g, scientists at the Chile’s Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory found 12 bodies previously undetected orbiting Jupiter.

These moons are incredibly small in size which is the most likely reason that they were able to evade detection for so long. The moons range in size from approximately 0.5 to 2 miles across. Of the 12 moons, 9 of them are in a retrograde orbit meaning they orbit Jupiter opposite of the planets rotation. 2 moons are in a prograde orbit meaning they orbit Jupiter in the same direction of it's rotation. Last but not least we have a moon in an orbit so weird around the planet that it is unlike any other moon that orbits Jupiter. This moon is called Valetudo, named after the Roman Goddess of Health and Hygiene.

The discovery of these moons took the combined effort of Chile’s Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and 4 other telescopes over a year to finalize this discovery.

Space will never cease to amaze and captivate us. Jupiter is just one amazing, powerful giant and we look forward to discovering more and more in and outside of our celestial backyard.

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