Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons of Jupiter. It is reported by the Associated Press.
New moons of Jupiter have been identified by telescopes in Chile and Hawaii in 2021 and 2022. Their orbits were confirmed in further observations, the agency noted Feb. 4.
The size of satellites is 1–3 km, they resemble asteroids, since their mass is small for acquiring a spherical shape. According to scientists, detailed images of one of the outer moons of Jupiter will appear in the future to more accurately determine their origin.
New space objects have been included in the list of the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union. The satellites have not yet been named. According to astronomers, only half of them are large enough (at least 1.5 km across) to receive their own name.
A body makes a revolution around Jupiter in almost a year – more than 340 days, writes Life.ru.
The total number of satellites of this planet is 92, which is more than any other planet in the solar system, according to Moscow 24.
Second place in this indicator is occupied by Saturn with 83 satellites, writes NSN.
On January 26, NASA scientists recorded an anomalous phenomenon on Jupiter’s third largest moon, Io. It was noted that there was a constant eruption of hundreds of volcanoes. Io is in orbit with Ganymede and Europa, and therefore Jupiter’s moon is volcanically active. Due to the distance from the Sun, the temperature on the surface of the celestial body is -128 degrees, and the temperature of the volcanic lava exceeds 1000 degrees, the 360 TV channel notes.
Earlier, astronomer Denis Denisenko said that the next partial solar eclipse will be visible in Moscow in 2025. And an almost total eclipse will be visible from the territory of the Russian Federation only in 2061, writes RT.
In April last year, the executive director of Roskosmos Alexander Bloshenko. announced that the first mission of the nuclear tug “Zeus” will take place in 2030.
With the help of probes that will load the tug, scientists are exploring the atmosphere, magnetosphere and internal energy sources of Jupiter, the subglacial oceans of Europa and Ganymede.
