Everything in space is so small. Its cool we are finding new things, things that we just over look because space is so big.

How do they know they arent just meteorites coles to Saturns orbit?

Wow, neat. Thanks for posting. I'm suprised though that they would be classified as moons. I would think they would be considered simply as asteroid satellites or something like that. Do any of you know the official "cut off" size or the line between what's a moon, and what's too small to be a moon? I'm sure there's one in the scientific community.

I don't think there has been any limit to what can be called as a moon. However they do call the small stuff as debris and rocks instead of moons. I think the scientists should consider grouping the moons into major and minor categories taking the size into consideration otherwise we would have like thousands of discovered moons in the solar system in the coming years. What's the current total number of moons in the solar system? The last I heard was ~120.

I figured that huge planet had more moons. It had 31 but i guess now its 33.
Titan is saturn's biggest moon and the second biggest in the solar system, its 3200 miles in diameter, By comparison earth is 8000 miles, Mars is 4200 and Pluto is just 1440.

Cassini is doing a great job, props to all the people who put her together.
Can't wait for december when they drop the huygens probe on titan.(those pics will be amazing)

[edit on 16-8-2004 by Murcielago]

Originally posted by Murcielago
Titan is saturn's biigest moon and the biggest in the solar system, its 3200 miles in diameter

Its true that Titan is the biggest moon of Saturn, but its second in the solar system. Jupiter's Ganymede is the largest in the solar system with a diameter of 3280 miles (close, huh?).


[edit on 16-8-2004 by jp1111]

Originally posted by AD5673
How do they know they arent just meteorites coles to Saturns orbit?

I suppose they observed Saturn's gravity effects on the moon. If it was a meteorites that close if would have been captured by the Saturn's gravity field into a moon or would have just crashed into Saturn.