Astronomy Interview Question:

How many moons does Jupiter have?

Submitted by: Administrator

This is difficult to call. The stable figure for several years was 16. However, recently another 23 or so moons have been discovered and are currently being classified.

As we study the planet more and more, and with more sophisticated technology, more and smaller objects are noted. Whether these count as moons or just clumps of rock caught in orbit by the planet is highly debatable. The total count of moons for Jupiter, as at May 2005, was a staggering 63!
Submitted by: Administrator