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In a groundbreaking development in planetary science, a team of astronomers from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has discovered a previously unknown moon orbiting the planet Uranus. The team was led by Dr. Maryame El Moutamid, a Moroccan planetary scientist based at SwRI’s Solar System Science and Exploration Division in Boulder, Colorado. This discovery raises the number of known Uranian moons from 28 to 29.
The tiny moon was detected using highly sensitive data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Specifically, the detection came from a sequence of long-exposure images taken on February 2, 2025, by JWST’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), showcasing the telescope’s remarkable capability to capture faint celestial objects at great distances.
According to SwRI, the newly discovered moon—provisionally named S/2025 U 1—is the smallest Uranian moon ever identified. “It’s detection required ten deep exposures, highlighting JWST’s extraordinary sensitivity and resolution,” said Dr. El Moutamid in an official statement from the institute.
Beyond the scientific milestone, the discovery opens up a new chapter in the cultural naming tradition of Uranus’ moons, which are commonly named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare. El Moutamid noted that her team is enthusiastically considering a name that fits within this rich literary heritage.
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Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, is characterized by its extreme axial tilt and icy composition. Its five major moons—Titania, Oberon, Umbriel, Ariel, and Miranda—are thought to be composed primarily of water ice mixed with silicate rock. The addition of this newly found satellite adds valuable insight into the formation and evolution of Uranus’ complex moon system, and marks a significant advancement in our understanding of the outer solar system.
