London: Saturn has strengthened its position as the ‘moon king’ of the solar system after astronomers confirmed the discovery of 128 new moons orbiting the gas giant.
This brings Saturn’s total moon count to an astounding 274, nearly twice as many as all the other planets combined. Until recently, Jupiter held the title for most moons, but with only 95 confirmed as of February 2024, it now lags far behind.
The latest discoveries, formally recognized by the International Astronomical Union, were made using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in 2023. Scientists employed a technique called ‘shift and stack,’ which layers multiple images to reveal faint celestial objects moving in orbit.
Astronomers have confirmed the discovery of 128 small moons around Saturn, bringing its total count to 274, far more than any other planet in the solar system. Which of Saturn’s moons is your favorite? Take a tour: https://t.co/JCrXJCE58q pic.twitter.com/E2hgUXpFmq
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) March 12, 2025
All 128 newly detected moons fall under the category of ‘irregular moons’-small, potato-shaped objects just a few kilometers across. Their orbits are highly elliptical and tilted, suggesting a chaotic past of violent collisions.
According to Professor Brett Gladman of the University of British Columbia, these moons are likely fragments of once-larger bodies shattered by cosmic impacts with comets or other moons.
The discovery offers fresh insight into the early solar system’s turbulent past when planetary migrations and frequent collisions shaped the celestial bodies we see today.
Additionally, the study of these moons could help unravel mysteries surrounding Saturn’s iconic rings, which some scientists believe may be the remnants of a destroyed moon.
