Current Affairs - Science - Discussion

Scientists have discovered 12 new moons orbiting Jupiter, making the total number of natural satellites circling around Jupiter to 79. The discovery includes 11 "normal" outer moons, and one "oddball." The researchers were led by Scott S Sheppard from Carnegie Institution for Science, US. They first spotted the moons in 2017. Out of the new moons 9 are part of a distant outer swarm of moons that orbit it in the retrograde, or opposite direction of Jupiter's spin rotation. These distant retrograde moons are categorised into at least 3 distinct orbital groupings. They are believed to be remnants of three once-larger parent bodies that broke during collisions with asteroids, comets, or other moons. The newly discovered retrograde moons take nearly 2 years to orbit Jupiter. 2 of the new discoveries are part of a closer, inner group of moons that orbit in the prograde, or same direction as Jupiter's rotation.