NASA’s Webb Telescope Discovers a New Moon Around Uranus
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a remarkable discovery — a new, tiny moon orbiting Uranus. Measuring just 10 kilometers wide, the moon becomes the 29th known natural satellite of the icy planet.
Why It Went Undetected Until Now
Scientists believe the moon’s extremely small size and faint brightness allowed it to remain hidden for decades. Even Voyager 2, which flew past Uranus nearly 40 years ago, could not spot it. Experts suggest there may be many more tiny moons still waiting to be discovered around the planet.
A Complex Moon System
“No other planet has as many small inner moons as Uranus, and their complex inter-relationships with the rings hint at a chaotic history that blurs the boundary between a ring system and a system of moons,” said Matthew Tiscareno of the SETI Institute, part of the research team.
Researchers noted that this new moon is even smaller and dimmer than Uranus’s previously known inner moons, meaning the planet’s system could be more complex than once thought.
Naming Tradition
All moons of Uranus are traditionally named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. While the newly found moon has not yet been given an official name, it will receive one after approval by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the body responsible for naming celestial objects.
What’s Next?
The discovery highlights the power of the Webb Telescope in expanding our understanding of the outer solar system. Astronomers expect that more moons around Uranus could be revealed in the coming years, further reshaping knowledge of the planet’s dynamic environment.
