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Timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their moons

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This timeline of discovery of Solar System planets and their natural satellites charts the progress of the discovery of new bodies over history.

Historically the naming of natural satellites did not always match the times of their discovery.

In the following tables, planetary satellites are indicated in bold type (e.g. Moon) while planets, major or minor, which directly circle the Sun are in italic type (e.g. Earth). The tables are sorted by publication/announcement date. Dates are annotated with the following symbols:

  • i: for date of first imaging (photography, etc.);
  • o: for date of first human visual observation, either through telescope or on photographic plate (the true "discovery" moment);
  • p: for date of announcement or publication.

*Note: Marked moons had complicated discoveries. Several moons took several years to be confirmed, and in several cases were actually lost and rediscovered. Others were found in Voyager photographs years after they were taken.

Color code

The planets and their natural satellites are marked in the following colors:

Mercury Venus
Earth and satellite Mars and satellites
Jupiter and satellites Saturn and satellites
Uranus and satellites Neptune and satellites
Dwarf planets
Pluto and satellites 2003 UB313 and satellites

Prehistory

Prehistory
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
Unknown Sun
Star In the Ptolemaic system, the Earth was believed to be at the center of the cosmos. Seven planets were placed in orbit around it in an order of increasing distance from the Earth, first established by the Greek Stoics: the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. This list included two objects, the Sun and the Moon, which are no longer considered to be planets; it also excluded the Earth.
Unknown Mercury
Planet In Nicolaus Copernicus' heliocentric system (De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, 1543) the Earth came to be considered a planet revolving with the other planets around the Sun, in the following order of distance from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The Sun, now situated near the center of revolution, was no longer considered a planet.
Venus
File:Venus-pioneer-uv-black.jpg
Planet
Earth
Planet
Mars
Planet
Jupiter
Planet
Saturn
Planet
Unknown Moon
Earth I In the Copernican system, the Moon was considered to be no longer a planet but a natural satellite of the Earth, and was the only body in that system whose revolution was not centered on the Sun.

17th century

17th century
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
1610s
o: January 7 1610
p: March 13 1610
Callisto
Jupiter IV Galileo, Sidereus Nuncius, [1]. The Galilean moons. Note: One of the moons may have been recorded by the Chinese astronomer Gan De in 364 BC. The Galilean satellites were the first celestial objects that were confirmed to orbit an object other than the Earth.
Io
Jupiter I
Europa
Jupiter II
o: January 11 1610
p: March 13 1610
Ganymede
Jupiter III
1650s
o: March 25 1655
p: March 5 1656
Titan
Saturn VI Huygens, [2]. Huygens first "published" his discovery as an anagram, sent out on June 13, 1655; later published in pamphlet form as De Saturni luna Observatio Nova and in full in Systema Saturnium (July 1659).
1670s
o: October 25 1671
p: 1673
Iapetus
Saturn VIII Cassini, [3]. Cassini published these two discoveries in Découverte de deux nouvelles planètes autour de Saturne (Sébastien Mabre-Cramoisy, Paris, 1673), translated as A Discovery of Two New Planets about Saturn, Made in the Royal Parisian Observatory by Signor Cassini, Philosophical Transactions 8 (1673), pp. 5178-5185. There may just be earlier publications within the Journal des scavans.
o: December 23, 1672 Rhea
Saturn V
1680s
o: March 21, 1684 Tethys
Saturn III Cassini. Cassini published these two discoveries on April 22, 1686, judging by An Extract of the Journal Des Scavans of April 22 st. N. 1686, Giving an Account of Two New Satellites of Saturn, Discovered Lately by Mr. Cassini at the Royal Observatory at Paris, Philosophical Transactions 16 (1686-1692) pp. 79-85.

In his work Kosmotheôros (published posthumously in 1698), Christiaan Huygens relates "Jupiter you see has his four, and Saturn his five Moons about him, all plac’d in their Orbits."

Dione
Saturn IV
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes

18th century

18th century
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
1780s
o: March 13 1781
p: April 26 1781
Uranus
Planet Herschel [4]. Herschel first reported the discovery of Uranus on April 26, 1781, hedging by calling it a "comet": Account of a Comet, By Mr. Herschel, F. R. S.; Communicated by Dr. Watson, Jun. of Bath, F. R. S., Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Volume 71, pp. 492-501.
o: January 11 1787 Titania
Uranus III Herschel
Oberon
Uranus IV Herschel
o: August 28 1789 Enceladus
Saturn II Herschel
o: September 17 1789 Mimas
Saturn I Herschel [5]
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes

19th century

19th century
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
1800s
o: January 1, 1801 1 Ceres
Dwarf planet Giuseppe Piazzi
1840s
o: September 23, 1846 Neptune
Planet Galle and Le Verrier [6]
o: October 10, 1846 Triton
Neptune I Lassell [7] [8]
o: September 16, 1848 Hyperion
Saturn VII Bond, Bond, Lassell [9] [10]
1850s
o: October 24, 1851 Ariel
Uranus I Lassell [11]
Umbriel
Uranus II Lassell [12]
1870s
o: August 12, 1877 Deimos
Mars II Hall [13] [14] [15]
o: August 18, 1877 Phobos
Mars I Hall [16] [17] [18]
1890s
o: September 9, 1892
p: October 4 1892
Amalthea
Jupiter V Barnard [19]
i: August 16, 1898
o: March 17 1899
Phoebe
Saturn IX Pickering [20] [21]
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes

20th century

20th century
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
1900s
i: December 3 1904
p: January 6 1905
Himalia (formerly known as Hestia)
File:Iss 010123e.jpg
Jupiter VI Perrine [22] [23] [24] [25]
i: January 2, 1905
p: February 27 1905
Elara (formerly known as Hera) Jupiter VII Perrine [26] [27] [28]
i: January 27, 1908
o: February 28 1908
p: March 1-6 1908
Pasiphaë (formerly known as Poseidon) Jupiter VIII Melotte [29] [30]
1910s
i: July 21, 1914 Sinope (formerly known as Hades) Jupiter IX Nicholson [31]
1930s
i: January 23 1930
o: February 18, 1930
p: March 13 1930
Pluto
Dwarf planet Tombaugh [32]
i: July 6, 1938 Lysithea (formerly known as Demeter) Jupiter X Nicholson [33]
i: July 30, 1938 Carme (formerly known as Pan) Jupiter XI Nicholson [34]
1940s
i: February 16, 1948 Miranda
Uranus V Kuiper [35]
i: May 1, 1949 Nereid
Neptune II Kuiper [36] [37]
1950s
i: September 28, 1951 Ananke (formerly known as Adrastea) Jupiter XII Nicholson [38]
1960s
i: December 15 1966 Janus* S/1966 S 2
Saturn X Dollfus [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44]
(Dollfus may have seen either Janus or Epimetheus)
i: December 18 1966 Epimetheus* Saturn XI Walker [45]
1970s
i: September 11, 1974
p: September 20 1974
Leda Jupiter XIII Kowal [46] [47] [48] [49]
i: September 30, 1975
p: October 3 1975
Themisto* S/1975 J 1 Jupiter XVIII Kowal [50] [51] [52]
(Discovered and then lost)
i: April 13, 1978
o: June 22, 1978
Charon S/1978 P 1
File:Plutoncharon.jpg
Pluto I Christy [53] [54]
i: July 8, 1979
p: November 23 1979
Adrastea S/1979 J 1
Jupiter XV Jewitt, Danielson / Voyager 2 [55] [56] [57] [58]

[59] [60]

1980s
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: February 19, 1980 Janus* S/1980 S 1
Saturn X [61] [62] [63] [64] [65]
(Confirmed by Voyager 1)
i: February 26, 1980 Epimetheus* S/1980 S 3
Saturn XI [66] [67] [68] [69] [70]
(Confirmed by Voyager 1)
i: March 1, 1980 Helene S/1980 S 6
Saturn XII Laques, Lecacheux [71] [72] [73] [74]
March 13, 1980 Calypso S/1980 S 25
Saturn XIV Pascu, Seidelmann, Baum, Currie [75] [76]
April 8, 1980 Telesto S/1980 S 13 Saturn XIII Smith, Reitsema, Larson, Fountain, Voyager 1 [77] [78]
April 28, 1980/
March 5, 1979
Thebe S/1979 J 2
Jupiter XIV Synnott, Voyager 1 [79] [80]
August 26, 1980/
March 4, 1979
Metis S/1979 J 3
File:Metis2.gif
Jupiter XVI Synnott, Voyager 1 [81]
October, 1980 Atlas S/1980 S 28
Saturn XV Terrile, Voyager 1 [82]
Prometheus S/1980 S 27
Saturn XVI Collins, Voyager 1 [83]
Pandora S/1980 S 26
Saturn XVII Collins, Voyager 1 [84]
December 30, 1985 Puck S/1985 U 1
Uranus XV Synnott, Voyager 2 [85]
January 3, 1986 Juliet S/1986 U 2 Uranus XI Synnott, Voyager 2 [86] [87]
Portia S/1986 U 1 Uranus XII Synnott, Voyager 2 [88] [89]
January 9, 1986 Cressida S/1986 U 3 Uranus IX Synnott, Voyager 2 [90] [91]
January 13, 1986 Desdemona S/1986 U 6 Uranus X Synnott, Voyager 2 [92] [93]
Rosalind S/1986 U 4 Uranus XIII Synnott, Voyager 2 [94] [95]
Belinda S/1986 U 5 Uranus XIV Synnott, Voyager 2 [96] [97]
January 20, 1986 Cordelia S/1986 U 7 Uranus VI Terrile, Voyager 2 [98]
Ophelia S/1986 U 8 Uranus VII Terrile, Voyager 2 [99]
January 23, 1986 Bianca S/1986 U 9 Uranus VIII Smith, Voyager 2 [100]
July 7 1989 /
< June 16, 1989
Proteus S/1989 N 1
Neptune VIII Synnott, Voyager 2 [101] [102]
August 2 1989 /
< July 28, 1989
Larissa S/1989 N 2 Neptune VII Reitsema, Hubbard, Lebofsky, Tholen, Voyager 2 [103]
Despina S/1989 N 3 Neptune V Synnott, Voyager 2 [104]
Galatea S/1989 N 4 Neptune VI Synnott, Voyager 2 [105]
September 29 1989 /
< September 18, 1989
Thalassa S/1989 N 5 Neptune IV Terrile, Voyager 2 [106]
Naiad S/1989 N 6 Neptune III Terrile, Voyager 2 [107]
1990s
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: August 22, 1981
p: July 16, 1990
Pan* S/1981 S 13
Saturn XVIII Showalter, Voyager 2 [108]
April 14, 1995 /
August 23, 1981
  S/1981 S 14 (see Pallene below)   Saturn Gordon, Murray and Beurle [109]

[110]

September 6, 1997 Caliban S/1997 U 1 Uranus XVI Gladman, Nicholson, Burns, Kavelaars [111]
Sycorax S/1997 U 2 Uranus XVII Gladman, Nicholson, Burns, Kavelaars [112]
May 18, 1999 /
January 18, 1986
Perdita* S/1986 U 10 Uranus XXV Karkoschka, Voyager 2 [113]
July 18, 1999 Setebos S/1999 U 1 Uranus XIX Kavelaars, Gladman, Holman, Petit, Scholl [114]
Stephano S/1999 U 2 Uranus XX Gladman, Holman, Kavelaars, Petit, Scholl [115]
Prospero S/1999 U 3 Uranus XVIII Holman, Kavelaars, Gladman, Petit, Scholl [116]
2000s
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
July 18-20, 2000 /
October 6, 1999
Callirrhoe S/1999 J 1 Jupiter XVII Scotti, Spahr, McMillan, Larsen, Montani, Gleason, Gehrels [117] [118]
August 7, 2000 Ymir S/2000 S 1 Saturn XIX Gladman [119] [120]
Paaliaq S/2000 S 2 Saturn XX Gladman [121] [122]
Kiviuq S/2000 S 5 Saturn XXIV Gladman [123] [124]
September 23, 2000 Siarnaq S/2000 S 3 Saturn XXIX Gladman, Kavelaars [125] [126]
Tarvos S/2000 S 4 Saturn XXI Kavelaars, Gladman [127] [128]
Ijiraq S/2000 S 6 Saturn XXII Kavelaars, Gladman [129] [130]
Thrymr S/2000 S 7 Saturn XXX Gladman, Kavelaars [131] [132]
Skathi S/2000 S 8 Saturn XXVII Kavelaars, Gladman [133] [134]
Mundilfari S/2000 S 9 Saturn XXV Gladman, Kavelaars [135] [136]
Erriapo S/2000 S 10 Saturn XXVIII Kavelaars, Gladman [137] [138]
Suttungr S/2000 S 12 Saturn XXIII Gladman, Kavelaars [139] [140]
November 9, 2000 Albiorix S/2000 S 11 Saturn XXVI Holman, Spahr [141] [142]
November 25 2000/
November 21, 2000
Themisto* S/2000 J 1 Jupiter XVIII Sheppard, Jewitt, Fernández, Magnier (Rediscovered) [143] [144]
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes

21st century

21st century
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes

i: November 23, 2000
p: January 5, 2001

Kalyke S/2000 J 2   Jupiter XXIII Sheppard, Jewitt, Fernández, Magnier, Dahm, Evans [145] [146] [147]
Iocaste S/2000 J 3   Jupiter XXIV
Erinome S/2000 J 4   Jupiter XXV
Harpalyke S/2000 J 5   Jupiter XXII
Isonoe S/2000 J 6   Jupiter XXVI
Praxidike S/2000 J 7   Jupiter XXVII
i: November 25, 2000
p: January 5, 2001
Megaclite S/2000 J 8   Jupiter XIX Sheppard, Jewitt, Fernández, Magnier, Dahm, Evans [148] [149]
Taygete S/2000 J 9   Jupiter XX
i: November 26, 2000
p:January 5, 2001
Chaldene S/2000 J 10   Jupiter XXI Sheppard, Jewitt, Fernández, Magnier, Dahm, Evans [150] [151]
i: December 5, 2000
p: January 5, 2001
  S/2000 J 11   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Fernández, Magnier, Dahm, Evans [152] [153]
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: December 9, 2001
p: May 16, 2002
Hermippe S/2001 J 3   Jupiter XXX Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [154] [155]
Eurydome S/2001 J 4   Jupiter XXXII
Sponde S/2001 J 5   Jupiter XXXVI
Kale S/2001 J 8   Jupiter XXXVII
i: December 10, 2001
p: May 16, 2002
Autonoe S/2001 J 1   Jupiter XXVIII Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [156] [157]
i: December 11, 2001
p: May 16, 2002
Thyone S/2001 J 2   Jupiter XXIX Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [158] [159]
Pasithee S/2001 J 6   Jupiter XXXVIII
Euanthe S/2001 J 7   Jupiter XXXIII
Orthosie S/2001 J 9   Jupiter XXXV
Euporie S/2001 J 10   Jupiter XXXIV
Aitne S/2001 J 11   Jupiter XXXI
i: August 13, 2001
p: September 30, 2002
Trinculo S/2001 U 1   Uranus XXI Holman, Kavelaars, Milisavljevic [160] [161]
December 18 2002/
October 31, 2002
Arche S/2002 J 1   Jupiter XLIII Sheppard, Meech, Hsieh, Tholen, Tonry [162] [163]
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: August 13, 2002
p: January 13, 2003
  S/2002 N 3   Neptune Holman, Kavelaars, Grav, Fraser, Milisavljevic [164] [165]
August 14, 2002
p: January 13, 2003
  S/2002 N 1   Neptune Holman, Kavelaars, Grav, Fraser, Milisavljevic [166] [167]
S/2002 N 2
i: February 5, 2003
p: March 4 2003
Eukelade S/2003 J 1   Jupiter XLVII Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández, Hsieh [168] [169]
  S/2003 J 2   Jupiter
S/2003 J 3
S/2003 J 4
i: February 6, 2003
p: March 4 2003
  S/2003 J 5   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández, Hsieh [170] [171]
Helike S/2003 J 6 Jupiter XLV
i: February 8, 2003
p: March 4 2003
Aoede S/2003 J 7 Jupiter XLI Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández, Hsieh [172] [173]
Hegemone S/2003 J 8 Jupiter XXXIX Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández [174] [175]
i: February 6, 2003
p: March 7 2003
  S/2003 J 9   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández [176] [177]
S/2003 J 10
Kallichore S/2003 J 11   Jupiter XLIV
i: February 8, 2003
p: March 7 2003
  S/2003 J 12   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández [178] [179]
i: February 5, 2003
p: April 11, 2003
Narvi S/2003 S 1   Saturn XXXI Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [180]
i: February 9, 2003
p: April 11 2003
Cyllene S/2003 J 13   Jupiter XLVIII Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [181]
i: February 8, 2003
p: April 11 2003
  S/2003 J 14   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [182]
i: February 6, 2003
p: April 11 2003
  S/2003 J 15   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández [183]
S/2003 J 16 Gladman, Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen [184]
i: February 8, 2003
p: April 11 2003
  S/2003 J 17   Jupiter Gladman, Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen [185]
i: February 6, 2003
p: April 11 2003
  S/2003 J 18   Jupiter Gladman, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen, Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [186]
i: February 6, 2003
p: April 30 2003
  S/2003 J 19   Jupiter Gladman, Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen [187] [188]
i: February 9, 2003
p: April 30 2003
Carpo S/2003 J 20 Jupiter XLVI Sheppard, Gladman, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen, Jewitt, Kleyna [189] [190]
i: February 6, 2003
p: May 30 2003
Mneme S/2003 J 21 Jupiter XL Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Gladman, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen [191] [192]
i: January 18, 1986
p: August 25, 2003
Perdita* S/1986 U 10 Uranus XXV Karkoschka (Recovered by the Hubble Space Telescope) [193]
i: August 13, 2001
p: August 29 2003
Ferdinand* S/2001 U 2 Uranus XXIV 2001: Holman, Kavelaars, Milisavljevic;
2003: Scott S. Sheppard, David C. Jewitt [194] [195]
i: August 14, 2002
p: August 29 2003
  S/2002 N 4*   Neptune Holman, Kavelaars, Grav, Fraser, Milisavljevic [196] [197]
i: August 29, 2003
p: September 3 2003
Psamathe S/2003 N 1   Neptune X Jewitt, Kleyna, Sheppard, Holman, Kavelaars [198] [199]
i: August 25, 2003
p: September 25 2003
Mab S/2003 U 1   Uranus XXVI Showalter, Lissauer [200]
Cupid S/2003 U 2   Uranus XXVII
i: August 13, 2001
p: October 8, 2003
Francisco* S/2001 U 3   Uranus XXII Holman, Kavelaars, Milisavljevic, Gladman [201]
i: August 29, 2003
p: October 9 2003
Margaret S/2003 U 3   Uranus XXIII Sheppard, Jewitt [202] [203]
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: February 9, 2003
p: January 25 2004
Thelxinoe* S/2003 J 22   Jupiter XLII Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Gladman, Kavelaars, Petit, Allen [204] [205] [206]
(From images taken in 2003)
i: February 6, 2003
p: February 4, 2004
  S/2003 J 23*   Jupiter Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Fernández [207] [208]
i: June 1, 2004
p: August 16 2004
Methone* S/2004 S 1
File:S2004s1 040601.jpg
Saturn XXXII Porco, Charnoz, Brahic, Dones / Cassini-Huygens [209]

[210]

Pallene S/2004 S 2
=S/1981 S 14
Saturn XXXIII
i: June 21, 2004
p: September 9, 2004
  S/2004 S 3
Saturn Murray, Porco et al. / Cassini-Huygens [211]

[212]

i: June 21?, 2004
p: September 9, 2004
  S/2004 S 4   Saturn Spitale, Porco et al. / Cassini-Huygens [213]

[214]

i: October 21, 2004
o: October 24, 2004
p: November 8 2004
Polydeuces S/2004 S 5   Saturn XXXIV Porco et al. / Cassini-Huygens

[215]

i: October 28, 2004
p: November 8, 2004
  S/2004 S 6   Saturn Porco et al. / Cassini-Huygens

[216]

Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: December 12, 2004
p: May 4, 2005
  S/2004 S 7   Saturn Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Marsden
[217] [218] [219] [220]
S/2004 S 8
S/2004 S 9
S/2004 S 10
S/2004 S 11
S/2004 S 12
S/2004 S 13
S/2004 S 14
S/2004 S 15
i: December 13, 2004
p: May 4, 2005
  S/2004 S 16   Saturn Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna, Marsden
[221] [222] [223] [224]
S/2004 S 17
S/2004 S 18
i: May 1, 2005
p: May 6 2005
Daphnis S/2005 S 1
Saturn XXXV Porco et al. / Cassini-Huygens [225]
i: October 21, 2003
o: January 5, 2005
p: July 29, 2005
  2003 UB313
File:Xenaandgabrielle.jpg
Dwarf planet Brown, Trujillo and Rabinowitz
i: September 10, 2005
p: October 3, 2005
  S/2005 (2003 UB313) 1   2003 UB313 Brown, van Dam, Bouchez, Le Mignant, Campbell,
Chin, Conrad, Hartman, Johansson, Lafon, Rabinowitz,
Stomski, Summers, Trujillo, and Wizinowich [226]
i: May 15, 2005
o: June 15, 2005
p: October 31, 2005
Nix S/2005 P 2   Pluto II Weaver, Stern, Mutchler, Steffl, Buie, Merline,
Spencer, Young, Young [227]
Hydra S/2005 P 1   Pluto III
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes
i: December 12, 2004
o: March 6, 2006(?)
p: June 26, 2006
  S/2004 S 19   Saturn Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [228] [229]
i: January 4, 2006
o: March 6, 2006(?)
p:June 26, 2006
  S/2006 S 1   Saturn Sheppard, Jewitt, Kleyna [230] [231]
S/2006 S 2
i: January 5, 2006
o: March 6, 2006 (?)
p: June 26, 2006
S/2006 S 3
S/2006 S 4
S/2006 S 5
S/2006 S 6
S/2006 S 7
S/2006 S 8
Date Name Designation Image Planet/Number Designation References/Notes