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Why are there moons around Jupiter?

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Anonymous

11y ago
Updated: 8/19/2019

The planet Jupiter has 4 large moons that were likely formed within a disk of debris near the planet. Others are thought to be wandering asteroids that were captured by the giant planet's gravity.

As of 2011, there are a total of 67 known moons, some orbiting in the same direction as Jupiter spins (prograde) and some the opposite way (retrograde). Most of them are relatively small, with 3/4ths of them less than 5 km in diameter. Some are involved with the faint rings that surround Jupiter, which may be the broken pieces of other small moons.

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Wiki User

11y ago

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