Jupiter six more satellites

2003/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

They have found six more satellites turning to the largest planet in our solar system. With them they have been able to see 58 satellites rotating around Jupiter.

These newly discovered satellites are small (about a kilometer in diameter) and have retrograde orbits, that is, they move in the opposite direction to the rotation of Jupiter. Consequently, they believe that the planet Jupiter has been created and quickly attracted by the gravitational force of the planet.

The discovery has been made possible by two large digital cameras in the world located in Hawaii. Researchers at the University of Hawaii hope that they will gradually go through a hundred satellites.