Posted on 05/16/2002 3:41:07 PM PDT by grimalkin
— WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jupiter has 11 more moons than astronomers once thought, bringing the known total for the giant planet to 39, the most in our solar system, scientists reported on Thursday.
The newly discovered moons -- or satellites as astronomers call them -- are small, far from the planet and have eccentric orbits, but they still count, researchers said in a statement.
The new satellites were detected last December by astronomers at the University of Hawaii, using the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope and one of the largest digital imaging cameras in the world, the scientists said.
Digital images were processed with high-speed computers, and likely candidates were watched in the next months to confirm their orbits and to reject asteroids masquerading as moons.
All 11 new moons are considered irregular satellites. They all have retrograde orbits, meaning they go around Jupiter in the opposite direction to the planet's rotation.
They have long, elliptical orbits, which suggest they were captured by Jupiter when the big planet was young, perhaps in the first million years of the solar system's existence.
They are all quite small, with diameters between 1.2 miles and 2.5 miles. Nothing is known about what they are made of, how dense they are or what their surfaces are like, but scientists presume they are asteroid-like space rocks.
Among Jupiter's 39 known satellites, 31 are irregulars. The eight regular satellites consist of four large moons and four smaller ones.
Jupiter's nearest rival for having the largest number of known satellites is Saturn, with 30.
ROTFLMAO. I see that add every year for stars at xmas time!
It just has to be a satellite. Pluto is more interesting in this regard. Some are contemplating removing it from planet status because it is basically moon-sized.
Does anyone know or would please explain,for the layman,how that works or how that could be?
A planet rotates (spins like a top). The moons usually circle the planet in the same direction as the planet is spinning. If a moon is circling in the opposite direction, it is a retrograde orbit.
One other interesting note, two asteroids (1999 LE31 and 2000 DG8) are moving in a retrograde orbit around the sun.
Hey I'm certainly not going to be the first one on this thread to mention either Uranus or asteroids!
Christmas time? I heard the bloody thing LAST NIGHT! These people have no shame. I'm not sure who is worse; the scoundrels who perpetrate this scam, or the fools who waste their money getting "a star named after them."
Blasphemer!
The correct apphilation to show proper respect is "S*v*nth Pl*n*t".
I recommend Preparation H.
LOL!
Now you've got it..... a few radio ads, and you'll be in business.
The sun crosses the sky from East to West, because the Earth rotates in the opposite direction (West to East, if you will). Each night, the moon takes up a position in our sky more Easterly of it's position the night before, meaning it moves from West to East, the same as the direction of rotation of the Earth.
Hence, the moon has a PROGRADE orbit, not retrograde.
I have another idea. Never mind naming the seventh planet or the moons of Jupiter. I've got something really big in mind. I'm willing to officially name my toes after ten lucky freepers! First come, first served. I'll go in sequence, starting with the left side (little toe) and working right across until all ten are accounted for. Just think of it! Your very own FR screen name will be associated forever with my feet! Send me $100 in US currency via US mail and I'll officially name one of my very own toes after you! But hurry, they'll be going fast and you don't want to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You'll get an email officially notifying you of which toe is "yours," and it will become an heirloom (the email, not the toe) that you can pass on to your children as a permanent momento of this unique transaction. And, as an extra bonus, I'll donate the 10th contribution to FreeRepublic, officially designated as the "PatrickHenry Digital" donation. Now where else can you find a deal like this?
I can see you have a big future in marketing....
No biggy; as long as you didn't characterize it as "Wildly Retrograde".....
;-)
We'd better increase their funding 20%.
or we may never know if there are any more moons out there.
(Maybe we'll be able to buy "Space Food Sticks" again)
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