James Webb Space Telescope Unveils Uranus' Mysterious 29th Moon
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has identified a previously unknown 29th moon orbiting Uranus, named S/2025 U1. Discovered by a team at the Southwest Research Institute, this small 10-kilometer satellite remained unseen by Voyager 2 in 1986, marking a significant astronomical milestone.
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In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA revealed on August 20th that the James Webb Space Telescope has identified a new satellite orbiting Uranus. This previously unknown celestial body, named S/2025 U1, increases the planet's known satellite count to 29.
The Southwest Research Institute team, leading this discovery, estimated the satellite's diameter to be a mere 10 kilometers, a size too diminutive for detection during NASA's Voyager 2 flyby in 1986. The institute's lead scientist, Maryame El Moutamid, emphasized the importance of this finding despite its small size.
The newly discovered moon orbits Uranus at a distance of roughly 56,000 kilometers and is set to receive a new name in the future, further enhancing our understanding of the distant planet's satellite system.
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