In a first, amateur astronomer discovers new Jupiter moon before "return to school"
Jupiter officially added yet another moon to its growing tally of satellites. But the new one holds special status due to how it was discovered.
July 2021 is a month to remember for Space with two billionaires achieving extraordinary feat with their private endeavours to touch space. Now, a third private project, much smaller, has added another accolade - A new astronomical discovery.
While Jupiter already has around 80 moons and several being still discovered, this is the first one that was found by an amateur astronomer compared to agencies like NASA and ESA and professional researchers at universities.
The name of the astronomer is Kai Ly, reportedly a self-proclaimed hobbyist. Speaking to Sky and Telescope, Ly said, “I’m proud to say that this is the first planetary moon discovered by an amateur astronomer!”
Ly is pursuing astronomy as a summer hobby before she returns to school.
Ly’s findings have been submitted but remain to be published in academic journals. As for the new Jupiter moon, currently designated EJc0061, was clicked by NASA back in 2003 and was only believed to be a cluster of space rocks.
But the cluster is actually made up of a 28-mile-wide asteroid trapped in Jupiter’s orbit which reportedly revolves around the planet along with 23 rock fragments that broke off from it.
Years of observations from different telescopes enabled Ly to “discover, quantify, and confirm," the orbit of the moon around Jupiter.
Last year, Kai Ly had rediscovered four lost moons of Jupiter.