JUPITER

Jupiter is our "Picture of the Week" because, recently, astronomers have made a unique discovery concerning that planet.

Astronomers from the University of Arizona, along with their Massachusetts colleagues, announced that they have found a 17th moon orbiting Jupiter. This would be the first moon discovered orbiting Jupiter in 21 years.

Jeff Larsen is a University of Arizona astronomer who works with the university's Spacewatch project. Spacewatch uses a 79-year-old Kitt Peak telescope to study the solar system for comets and asteroids. Larsen says he made the first observations of the moon in October.

Larsen's group contacted an Astrophysical Observatory in Massachusetts to share the discovery. Scientists at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory there analyzed the known facts and reached the same judgement. They agreed that there was a 17th moon orbiting Jupiter.

The moon located near Jupiter is said to have a 3-mile diameter. If the diameter is confirmed, this moon will be the smallest known satellite around a major planet.

Currently, Mars has the smallest validated moon named Deimos. Deimos is approximately 7.5 miles in diameter. For comparison, the moon circling the Earth is 2,160 miles in diameter.

Further studies will be completed to confirm the finding.

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