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Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

dtm.carnegiescience.edu

11–20 of 69 posts

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#11
post #8

I wish they would open up the naming of at least one moon to whatever the internet decides to come up with, rather than restricting it to the same old boring gods and goddesses convention. That moon would probably become one of the more popular celestial bodies in the solar system based on that alone.

I hope you're ready for Moony McMoonface, or something less printable…

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#12
post #8

I wish they would open up the naming of at least one moon to whatever the internet decides to come up with, rather than restricting it to the same old boring gods and goddesses convention. That moon would probably become one of the more popular celestial bodies in the solar system based on that alone.

I hope you're ready for Moony McMoonface, or something less printable…

Someone out there is working really, really hard to compose a phonetic Moony McMoonface from among the available phonetic options.

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#13
post #2

Here's a visualization I made of the Saturn system with an option to highlight the newly discovered moons: https://typpo.github.io/spacekit/examples/saturn/index.html Besides the 20 new moons, I find it interesting that there are 8 "lost" moons. These are objects observed as far back as 2004 - but their current locations are unknown.

That visualization is awesome! Everyone try it. You can easily zoom in and our and rotate in any of the 3 axis. It's amazing to see how far away these 'new moons' are from being in the same plane as the older, larger moons.

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#14
post #2

Here's a visualization I made of the Saturn system with an option to highlight the newly discovered moons: https://typpo.github.io/spacekit/examples/saturn/index.html Besides the 20 new moons, I find it interesting that there are 8 "lost" moons. These are objects observed as far back as 2004 - but their current locations are unknown.

Is there a reason why moons don't seem to orbit above Saturn's poles?

Moons generally orbit on the same plane as their planet's orbit plane

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#15
post #8

I wish they would open up the naming of at least one moon to whatever the internet decides to come up with, rather than restricting it to the same old boring gods and goddesses convention. That moon would probably become one of the more popular celestial bodies in the solar system based on that alone.

“Today, class, we’re going to learn about Saturn’s newest moon, whose name the district has forbidden me from actually saying.”

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#17
A peeve I have would be to use a language of certainity ("has moons"):

> This brings the ringed planet’s total number of moons to 82, surpassing Jupiter, which has 79

When it's clear we don't have the absolute truth. We need to be humble. It's clear then that Saturn has at least 82 moons. Or maybe not even that, taking account the "lost" moons mentioned in this discussion. Now we believe that Saturn has about 82 moons.

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#18
post #8

I wish they would open up the naming of at least one moon to whatever the internet decides to come up with, rather than restricting it to the same old boring gods and goddesses convention. That moon would probably become one of the more popular celestial bodies in the solar system based on that alone.

“Today, class, we’re going to learn about Saturn’s newest moon, whose name the district has forbidden me from actually saying.”

Think of all the confusion that could be caused if the voted name was actually "whose name the district has forbidden me from actually saying".

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#19
post #2

Here's a visualization I made of the Saturn system with an option to highlight the newly discovered moons: https://typpo.github.io/spacekit/examples/saturn/index.html Besides the 20 new moons, I find it interesting that there are 8 "lost" moons. These are objects observed as far back as 2004 - but their current locations are unknown.

Very cool! I'm surprised that they orbit so quickly!

Re: Twenty New Moons Found Orbiting Saturn

#20
post #2

Here's a visualization I made of the Saturn system with an option to highlight the newly discovered moons: https://typpo.github.io/spacekit/examples/saturn/index.html Besides the 20 new moons, I find it interesting that there are 8 "lost" moons. These are objects observed as far back as 2004 - but their current locations are unknown.

Very cool! It would be nice if there was a 'Highlight None' option in the drop-down.
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