How the moon was found
The object, temporarily designated S/2025 U1, was identified on February 2, 2025, using data from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). According to lead researcher Maryame El Moutamid of the Southwest Research Institute in Colorado, the moon was spotted in a set of ten long-exposure images, each lasting 40 minutes.
The newly discovered moon measures about 10 kilometers across, making it far smaller than most of Uranus’s satellites. Its small size explains why Voyager 2, which flew past the planet nearly 40 years ago, was unable to detect it.
Where the moon is located
S/2025 U1 orbits about 56,000 kilometers from the center of Uranus, following a nearly circular path between the moons Ophelia and Bianca. Scientists believe it likely formed close to its present position. It is now the 14th inner moon of the planet, adding to the intricate system of small bodies that interact with Uranus’s rings.
Significance
Researchers note that Uranus is unusual for having so many small inner moons with orbits closely tied to its rings. This points to a dynamic past in which the line between rings and satellites is blurred.
Matthew Tiscareno of the SETI Institute adds that the newly detected moon is even smaller and fainter than the tiniest of Uranus’s previously known moons, suggesting that more hidden objects may still be waiting to be discovered.
The satellite will eventually receive an official name from the International Astronomical Union. By tradition, Uranus’s moons are named after characters from Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that Google and NASA trial AI system for diagnosing medical issues in space.