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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope discovered a tiny new moon, S/2025 U1, orbiting Uranus, raising its moon count to 29.
The new moon orbits about 35,000 miles (56,000 kilometers) from Uranus’ center.
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope discovered a previously unknown moon orbiting Uranus, boosting the ice giant’s known tally of natural satellites to 29. The tiny moon, just 6 miles (10 kilometers) in diameter, was spotted during a series of long-exposure images taken by James Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera on February 2. It has been given the provisional designation S/2025 U1.
“It’s a small moon but a significant discovery, which is something that even NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft didn’t see during its flyby nearly 40 years ago,” Maryame El Moutamid of the Southwest Research Institute, principal investigator of the Webb program that uncovered the find, said.
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Why Voyager Missed It?
Voyager 2 remains the only spacecraft to have flown past Uranus, capturing 10 moons during its 1986 encounter. But S/2025 U1 escaped detection, likely because its small size and the glow of Uranus’ bright rings obscured it from view. Even the Hubble Space Telescope failed to spot it. Webb’s high-resolution infrared imaging proved crucial in distinguishing the faint, fast-moving object against the glare of Uranus’ ring system.
Is The New Moon Linked to Uranus’ Rings?
The new moon orbits about 35,000 miles (56,000 kilometers) from Uranus’ center, nestled between the moons Ophelia and Bianca. Its nearly circular orbit suggests it may have formed near its current location. Scientists believe the moon could be tied to Uranus’ ring system- possibly fragments of the same ancient event that created some of the rings.
“The discovery raises questions about how many more small moons remain hidden around Uranus and how they interact with its rings,” El Moutamid said.
What Is The Naming And Significance Of The New Moon?
So far, all Uranian moons have been named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. The new moon has yet to receive an official name which the International Astronomical Union will decide.
Scott Sheppard, an astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, said, “This new Uranus moon is a very exciting find since it is so close to Uranus and likely associated with the inner ring system.”
What’s Next?
Astronomers expect more Uranian moons may be uncovered as James Webb continues its long-duration imaging campaigns. Future missions- including a proposed Uranus Orbiter and Probe in the early 2030s- could provide the most detailed look yet at the ice giant, its rings and its crowded neighborhood of satellites.
El Moutamid said, “Discovering a new moon around Uranus helps scientists better understand how its strange system formed, sheds light on its rings, and prepares us for future missions.”
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
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