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Could there be undiscovered moons around Jupiter?
In 2017, researchers published a study announcing the discovery of 12 more irregular moons orbiting Jupiter. Prior to this new research, the number of known Jovian irregulars was 71. And scientists have speculated for years that Jupiter has an undiscovered population of smaller moons.
Who first discovered the moons of Jupiter?
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei He remained under house arrest for the rest of his life. On January 7, 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei discovered, using a homemade telescope, four moons orbiting the planet Jupiter. Looking at what he thought were a group of stars, he realized the objects appeared to move in a regular pattern.
How did the discovery of Jupiter’s moons affect Galileo’s view of the universe?
He discovered that the sun has sunspots, which appear to be dark in color. Galileo’s discoveries about the Moon, Jupiter’s moons, Venus, and sunspots supported the idea that the Sun – not the Earth – was the center of the Universe, as was commonly believed at the time.
How did Galileo’s observations of Jupiter’s moon contribute to rejecting the existing theory of the geocentric model of the universe and accepting the heliocentric model?
Clearly they orbited Jupiter in much the same way as our Moon orbits the Earth. And if moons could orbit a planet, then perhaps it was true that the Earth orbited the Sun after all. With this discovery and his observations of the phases of Venus later that same year, Galileo gave us proof of a heliocentric universe.
Are there 10 moons?
Astronomers have discovered 10 small moons orbiting Jupiter, bringing its total to 79 — by far the most moons known around any planet. Jupiter was in the same part of the sky, so they were able to hunt for moons as well.
Are there any undiscovered moons?
Astronomers have discovered 12 more moons orbiting Jupiter, bringing the total to 79. The astronomers detected them by using a powerful telescope in Chile that was designed to detect faint objects in space. …
How did Galileo discover the moon?
In 1609, he learned of the spyglass and began to experiment with telescope-making, grinding and polishing his own lenses. His telescope allowed him to see with a magnification of eight or nine times, making it possible to see that the Moon had mountains and that Jupiter had satellites.
How old are Jupiter’s moons?
At 20 to 180 million years old, the surface is fairly young. It is possible that an extensive ocean beneath the surface harbors life. Ganymede is the third Galilean moon from Jupiter and the largest of the four. This low-density moon is about the size of Mercury but has about half the mass.
What were Galileo’s discoveries?
Ganymede
EuropaIoCallistoRings of Saturn
Galileo Galilei/Discovered
Are there undiscovered moons?
Astronomers have discovered 12 more moons orbiting Jupiter, bringing the total to 79. The team of astronomers, which in 2014 discovered the furthest known object orbiting the sun, had been looking for other objects on the fringe of our solar system. …