Saturn’s moon count has skyrocketed to 274 with the discovery of 128 new moons. The latest additions are between 2 and 4 kilometers in diameter and are thought to have formed through collisions with larger moons billions of years ago. Astronomers are using advanced telescope technology to spot smaller objects, but face a challenge: how small can a moon be before it’s just a rock? Experts believe the current threshold may need to be reevaluated.
A team led by Canadian astronomer Edward Ashton found the new moons using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. They stacked hours of images to reveal dozens that had evaded detection in the past. The newly discovered moons are small, rocky objects floating in space, but astronomers see their discovery as crucial for creating a comprehensive catalog of solar system objects.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has recognized the new moons, and Ashton’s team will now get to name them. Although many of these tiny moons appear as “fuzzy blobs,” advancements in telescope technology could resolve them in more detail. However, this may require taking numerous images with smaller fields of view.
Scientists estimate there may be thousands of moons orbiting Saturn, even excluding smaller, rocky debris found in the planet’s rings. As improvements to telescopes continue to allow detection of smaller objects, it’s likely that many more moons will be discovered. The IAU has decided not to prioritize naming smaller moons but may recognize them if a spacecraft visits.
Experts acknowledge that the distinction between a moon and a rock particle is not clear-cut. One scientist suggests that the threshold may lie between 1 kilometer and 1 meter in diameter, an idea likely to spark debate among astronomers.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2471071-saturn-gains-128-moons-giving-it-more-than-the-other-planets-combined