2 new moons may be orbiting Uranus!
Q. Scientists have spotted key patterns in the ring of Uranus, indicating how many previously undiscovered moons are orbiting two of the planet’s rings?- Published on 26 Oct 16a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
ANSWER: 2
The planet Uranus has two previously undiscovered moons orbiting near two of the planet’s rings, researchers from NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft has found
- The key patterns in the rings were found while examining the images taken by Voyager 2
- He noticed the amount of ring material on the edge of the alpha ring varied periodically
- This is one of the brightest rings of Uranus
- Another similar pattern was observed in the adjoining beta ring
- Researchers analysed radio occultations - made when Voyager 2 sent radio waves through the rings to be detected back on Earth - and stellar occultations, made when the spacecraft measured the light of background stars shining through the rings, which helps show how much material they contain.
- They found the pattern in Uranus' rings was similar to moon-related structures in Saturn's rings called moonlet wakes.
- The moonlets in the rings of this planet were 4-14 kms in diameter but smaller than known moons of the planet
- The moons of this planet are hard to spot because their surface is covered in dark material
- The moonlets if they are there may be acting s shepherd moons helping to keep the rings from spreading out
- Two of the 27 known moons of Uranus are Ophelia and Cordelia which act as shepherds to the epsilon ring in Uranus.
