The discovery of 20 previously unknown moons around Saturn has helped the ring planet surpass all others in our solar system with its new total of 82 orbiting bodies.
The moons are all similar in size, spanning about three miles across. But 17 of the 20 have a retrograde orbit of Saturn, meaning they essentially orbit backwards from the planet and other moons.
Two of the moons with a pro-grade orbit, or one moving in the same direction as the planet, complete a single orbit of Saturn every two years. They're closer to the planet than some of the other newly discovered moons. Other prograde and distant retrograde moons complete a single orbit every three years.
The retrograde moons were also likely part of a larger body, and their name are derived from Norse mythology.One of the prograde moons has an angle of 36 degrees, similar to the other prograde moons close to Saturn named for Gallic mythology. But the newly discovered moon is farther out than the others. It may be part of the inner moon family or its orbit was affected, pushing it further out.
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