Careful observations of Saturn’s small moons could give scientists a window into a turbulent time in the early solar system. During this period, collisions were more frequent and the planets jostled for position, and Jupiter is believed to have migrated close to the Sun far away in its current orbit. “It gives you additional information about the formation of the solar system,” said Dr. Dink.
However, the irregular moons we see so far may be just the beginning. “We estimated there were thousands of them” around Saturn and Jupiter, said Dr Ashton. Uranus and Neptune can also have many irregular moons, but their great distance makes them difficult to find.
Saturn, though smaller than Jupiter, appears to have a higher number of irregular moons. It can be up to three times the size of Jupiter, and reach about two miles across. Dr Ashton said the reason is not clear.
Perhaps Jupiter’s original moons tend to be larger and less prone to breakage. Or, Saturn may have captured more objects in its orbit than Jupiter. Or perhaps Saturn’s moons had orbits more likely to overlap and collide, resulting in smaller, irregular moons.
