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Webb Telescope Spots Elusive Uranus Moon
19 Aug
Summary
- Webb Space Telescope discovers new tiny moon orbiting Uranus
- Moon is just 6 miles wide and had evaded detection for decades
- Uranus now has 29 known moons, named after Shakespeare and Pope characters
In a remarkable discovery, NASA's Webb Space Telescope has spotted a previously undetected moon orbiting the planet Uranus. The new lunar companion, announced on August 16, 2025, is just 6 miles (10 kilometers) wide, making it one of the smallest moons in the Uranian system.
The tiny moon was first observed by Webb's near-infrared camera during observations conducted this past February. Scientists believe it had managed to evade detection for so long, even escaping the notice of the Voyager 2 spacecraft during its flyby around 40 years ago, due to its faintness and diminutive size.
With the addition of this new moon, Uranus now has a total of 29 known natural satellites, all of which are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. About half of these moons are smaller and orbit the planet at closer ranges.
This latest discovery highlights the remarkable capabilities of the Webb Space Telescope, which continues to provide unprecedented insights into the solar system and beyond.
