Scientists discover 12 new moons around Jupiter

Jupiter.
(Image credit: iStock)

Jupiter's massive gravitational attraction has collected some fresh followers.

While looking for a possible ninth planet, scientists instead discovered another 12 moons orbiting the gas giant, per a Monday press release from Carnegie Science. The find brings Jupiter's total number of moons to 79, the most in the solar system.

Eleven of the new moons are pretty normal, orbiting either with or against Jupiter's rotation. But in the release, scientists called one an "oddball" because it lives far out with moons that orbit counterclockwise, but travels clockwise itself.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Carnegie's team put together this video to explain the mysterious moon, named Valetudo after the Roman god Jupiter's great-granddaughter.

Scientists suggest Valetudo's reverse orbit could cause a head-on crash one day, per the release. But in a family of 79 moons, Jupiter was bound to have one rebel.

To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.