• Question: how many moons does jupiter have

    Asked by Sreenidhi to John - Planetary Team, Adam - Planetary Team on 3 Mar 2020.
    • Photo: Adam Parkes Bowen

      Adam Parkes Bowen answered on 3 Mar 2020:


      53 named moons and another 26 awaiting official names, at least according to NASA. However, as the definition of what exactly a “moon” is is pretty vague (“a natural body whch orbits a planet/minor planet”), the number could be considered to be far higher depending on how small of an object you are willing to consider as being a moon. For example; Jupiter has a much less impressive version of Saturn’s rings that orbit it, would each bit of rock and dust in that be considered a moon? They aren’t, but they could be given how vague the definition is.

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