Jupiter overtakes Saturn as planet with most moons; how is this significant for Science?

gas giant Jupiter is now planet with most number of Moons, overtaking ringed planet Saturn for title. This comes after 12 new Moons were discovered around planet through observations taken between 2021 and 2022. With new discovery, total number of confirmed Moons around Jupiter has jumped to 92 while Saturn has 83 confirmed natural satellites orbiting it. 

Characteristics of Moons

discovery was me public after its publication by Minor Planet Center (MPC) operated by Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Sky and Telescope magazine reported. confirmation was me after MPC's orbital calculations suggested that re are new objects that are orbiting Jupiter but were unreported until now. 

As for characteristics of Moons, y are said to be small and seven of new ones are among 71 outermost Jovian Moons, orbiting once every 550 days or more. Interestingly, se new Moons, as per scientists, were caught by Jupiter at a later stage considering ir retrogre orbit meaning some of m are moving in opposite direction of inner Moons. 

Scientists, however, say that Saturn might soon catch up if objects down to about three kilometres across fulfill characteristics of a Moon. Such objects are about three times higher in number around Saturn than Jupiter, observations have revealed. se smaller entities are suspected to have formed debris of a larger Moon that might have undergone disruption a few hundred million years ago.

Why is discovery significant?

This comes just a few months before European Space Agency (ESA) is targeting launch of its JUICE mission later this year to explore Jupiter's Galilean Moons.  discovery is significant because astronomers now have a higher number of subjects that y can target to learn more about solar system and its origins. Moreover, y might also uncover some of most unimaginable features of those Moons. Jupiter's Moon Ganymede, for instance, is only Moon in our solar system with its own magnetic field and is biggest in solar system. Besides, Europa has a huge ocean beneath its icy surface which could be habitable for life. NASA also has plans to explore this Europa by launching a spacecraft in 2024 to determine if its internal ocean is suitable for life.