0.2562
7667766266
x

Saturn

iasparliament Logo
April 04, 2025

Prelims – General Science

Why in news?

Astronomers have discovered 128 new moons around Saturn, increasing its total count to 274 moons.

  • Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system.
  • Position- 6th planet from the Sun.
  • Type- Gas giant.
  • It is surrounded by a beautiful ring system.
  • Size - With an equatorial diameter of about 74,897 miles (120,500 kilometers), Saturn is 9 times wider than Earth.
  • Distance - Saturn is 9.5 Astronomical Units (AU) away from the Sun.

One astronomical unit (abbreviated as AU), is the distance from the Sun to Earth.

  • Mass- 95 times the mass of Earth.
  • Composition- Mostly hydrogen and helium, similar to Jupiter.
  • Density- The least dense planet in the Solar System (it could float in water).
  • Orbit & Rotation - One day on Saturn takes only 10.7 hours.
  • Orbital Period- Takes 29.5 Earth years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
  • Moon system of Saturn
    • Total Moons- 274 (after the recent discovery of 128 new moons).
    • Largest Moon- Titan (2,159 miles across).
    • Other Major Moons- Enceladus is known for its subsurface ocean and icy plumes.
    • Many newly discovered moons are small (as tiny as 2 miles across) and follow irregular, retrograde orbits.
  • Discovery - Observation in 2023 - Conducted using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
  • Tracking Technique- Scientists observed patches of space near Saturn and tracked the motion of small moon-like objects over time.
  • Characteristics of the new moons
    • All are irregular moons – meaning they have highly inclined orbits and travel backward (retrograde motion).
    • Some moons are as small as 2 miles across.
    • The discovery suggests these moons are remnants of cosmic collisions that happened 100 million years ago.
  • The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has officially ratified the newly identified moons.

International Astronomical Union

  • Established in – 1919.
  • Mission- Promote and safeguard astronomy through research, education, and international cooperation.
  • Headquarters - Paris, France.
  • Governance
    • General Assembly (Every 3 years) defines long-term policy
    • Executive Committee implements decisions
    • IAU Officers & Secretariat handle day-to-day operations
  • India is an active member in IAU.

Reference

Indian Express| Newly discovered moons of Saturn

Login or Register to Post Comments
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to review.

ARCHIVES

MONTH/YEARWISE ARCHIVES

sidetext
Free UPSC Interview Guidance Programme
sidetext