This shows the relative position of the new satellites with respect to where Saturn resides. These moons are the outmost moons of Saturn.
Click on image for full size
Adapted from Image from Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur
Click on image for full size
Adapted from Image from Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur
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Saturn Holds Title for Most Moons! (Updated)
News story originally written on January 19, 2001
In October 2000, a group of astronomers led by Brett Gladman of France's Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur and JJ Kavelaars of McMaster University in Canada announced their discovery of 4 new moons of Saturn. For now, their names are S/2000 S1, S/2000 S2, S/2000 S3 and S/2000 S4. Then in November 2000, the team spotted two additional moons, S/2000 S5 and S/2000 S6. To top that, they found four more moons in December 2000, S/2000 S7 - S/2000 S10. That brings Saturn's total moon count to 28 moons! The finding of 10 new moons in such a short time sure is exciting! All of the moons will be renamed once they are confirmed by Cassini.These new moons are very small moons (less than 50 km across) and are likely icy moons.
There may be a lot of other moons orbiting Saturn. It will be up to the Cassini probe's arrival in 2004 to do a recount of all of the moons of Saturn, including a verification of S/2000 S1-S10.
Last modified January 19, 2001 by Jennifer Bergman.