NASA discovers a new moon orbiting Uranus after decades of hiding

In early February 2025, NASA scientists utilizing the James Webb Space Telescope identified a new moon orbiting Uranus. The discovery was made by researchers at the Southwest Research Institute, confirming the presence of a 29th moon around the planet after it had eluded detection for decades. The moon, which is approximately six miles wide, was documented through a series of long-exposure images taken with the telescope's Near-Infrared Camera. This tiny celestial body is located about 35,000 miles from Uranus' center and has a nearly circular orbit. Its faintness and small size contributed to the challenges faced by previous missions, including NASA's Voyager 2, which passed by Uranus nearly 40 years ago and failed to spot this moon. The recent discovery adds to the unique characteristics of Uranus, which contains more small inner moons than any other planet in the solar system. Experts suggest that the complex interactions among these moons and their relationship to Uranus' rings provoke further investigation into the chaotic history of the moon system. The new moon currently awaits an official name which will be determined by the International Astronomical Union, contributing to the ongoing exploration and understanding of our solar system's outer planets.