Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope discovered a new moon orbiting Uranus in images taken by Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). This image shows the moon, designated S/2025 U1, as well as 13 of the 28 other known moons orbiting the planet. The small moon Cordelia orbits just inside the outermost ring, but is not visible in these views due to glare from the rings.
Due to the drastic differences in brightness levels, the image is a composite of three different treatments of the data, allowing the viewer to see details in the planetary atmosphere, the surrounding rings, and the orbiting moons. The data was taken with NIRCam’s wide band F150W2 filter that transmits infrared wavelengths from about 1.0 to 2.4 microns.
[Image description: An annotated Webb image of the planet Uranus on a black background with 13 of its 28 known moons. The planet appears blue with a large, white patch taking up the bottom half. Around the planet is a system of nested rings. The outermost ring is the brightest while the innermost ring is the faintest. Beyond the rings are 14 labeled moons appearing as points of light. The newly discovered planet, S/2025 U1, is labeled in yellow.]