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第29颗!天王星卫星家族“添丁”
Xin Hua Wang· 2025-08-20 07:14
Core Insights - NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a new moon orbiting Uranus, marking the 29th known moon of the planet [1][2] Group 1: Discovery Details - The new moon was identified by researchers from the Southwest Research Institute and others using the near-infrared camera of the Webb Telescope, with the discovery made in February of this year [2] - The moon is estimated to have a diameter of only 10 kilometers and has not been detected by previous missions, including the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986, likely due to its small size and low brightness [2][4] Group 2: Orbital Characteristics - The newly discovered moon orbits at a distance of 56,000 kilometers from the center of Uranus, and its circular orbit suggests it may have formed near its current location [4] - Uranus previously had 28 known moons, with about half being smaller satellites that orbit relatively close to the planet [4] Group 3: Naming and Future Research - The naming of celestial bodies is subject to approval by the International Astronomical Union, and the new moon has not yet been named [4] - The discovery indicates that there may be more small moons around Uranus yet to be found, according to planetary scientist Matthew Tiscareno [4]