Jupiter now has the most moons in the solar system, say astronomers

It seems Jupiter has overtaken Saturn for the planet in the solar system with the most moons!

The Minor Planet Center (MPC), which monitors minor planets, comets and natural satellites of major planets, has published orbits for 12 newly-reported moons.

Prior to these latest findings, the number of moons orbiting the biggest planet in the solar system was 80, but now this brings it up to 92!

Saturn's total moons are believed to be 83, so until more moons are discovered it moves down to second in the list.

What is a moon?

This image taken by Nasa's Juno spacecraft shows Jupiter with some of its moons

We all know Earth's moon - sometimes a sickle in the sky and sometimes a full glowing circle lighting up the night sky.

We may call it the Moon, but there are actually hundreds of moons in the solar system.

Moons are natural satellites and are usually solid. Nasa, the US government agency responsible for space exploration and technology, says most planetary moons probably formed from "the discs of gas and dust circulating around planets in the early solar system".

Moons are natural satellites which mean they orbit a planet.

Mercury and Venus don't have moons at all, while Earth has only one.

According to Nasa's own data, Saturn has the most confirmed moons, 63, and 20 provisional moons.

Moons that don't have a name yet are provisional moons which means they haven't been confirmed by extra observations.

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What has been discovered?

Astronomer Scott Sheppard from the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC, reported the 12 new moons in 2018.

All of the moons are probably too small to be named and take more than 340 days to orbit, or go round Jupiter, according to the astronomy guide Sky and Telescope.

On Nasa's website, Jupiter is listed as having 57 confirmed moons and 23 provisional moons, though this discovery should bring the provisional moons to 35.

Although this is the current count, it's possible that Jupiter could have a lot more moons, not yet discovered!