Irene Klotz
August 20, 2025

 Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope discovered a new moon orbiting Uranus. This image shows the moon, designated S/2025 U1, as well as 13 of the 28 other known moons orbiting the planet. Due to the drastic differences in brightness levels, the image is a composite of three different treatments of the data, allowing the viewer to see details in the planetary atmosphere, the surrounding rings, and the orbiting moons. The data was taken with NIRCam’s wideband F150W2 filter that transmits infrared wavelengths from about 1.0 to 2.4 microns.

Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/M. El Moutamid (SwRI)/M. Hedman (University of Idaho)

The giant gas planet Uranus, located more than 19 times farther away from the Sun than Earth, has a previously unknown moon, bringing its orbital entourage to 29. The newly found satellite, which is about 6 mi. in diameter, was spotted in a series of 10 long-exposure images taken Feb. 2 by the James…

Irene Klotz

Irene Klotz is Senior Space Editor for Aviation Week, based in Cape Canaveral. Before joining Aviation Week in 2017, Irene spent 25 years as a wire service reporter covering human and robotic spaceflight, commercial space, astronomy, science and technology for Reuters and United Press International.

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