JUPITER 92 VS SATURN 83

[Ocatarinetabellatchitchix]

The race between Jupiter and Saturn to see which of the two giant planets will end up with the most moons continues unabated. Jupiter has just passed the ringed planet with the discovery of 12 new moons. It's 92 to 83 for the great Jovian. Since 2019, Saturn had the lead. Indeed, the latest discoveries had placed the second largest planet in our solar system ahead of Jupiter. This discovery has therefore again changed the classification.

It is the Minor Planets Center, responsible for collecting observations of objects in the solar system, which published these new data on these 12 new natural satellites of Jupiter. They were discovered using telescopes in Hawaii and Chile in 2021 and 2022, and their orbits have been confirmed by follow-up observations. What do we know about the new moons of Jupiter ? First of all, they are small. These moons vary in size from 1 kilometer to 3 kilometers. Then they are moved away from Jupiter. It takes them more than 340 days to go around the big gaseous planet. They are also surely small bodies in retrograde orbit – that is, the moons rotate in the opposite direction to the nearest, and better known, moons of Jupiter – which were probably captured by the planet at extremely strong attraction. For the rest, we recall that Uranus has 27 confirmed moons, Neptune 14, Mars 2 and Earth 1. Venus and Mercury have none.

Since Jupiter is our new winner, please show me your coins featuring… Jupiter !

 

Licinius I

 

Licinius II

 

Constantius I

 

Carus

 

[Spaniard]

Licinius I AE Follis. 20mm dia/ 3.2gr

Obverse- IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG, laureate head right

Reverse- IOVI CON-SERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding victory and sceptre, eagle at foot with wreath in its beak,gamma to right.

Mintmark SIS. RIC VII 8G (Siscia oficina3)

[Roman Collector]

It's good that in Greco-Roman mythology, Jupiter had extramarital affairs with so many mortals and goddesses that the supply of names for these new moons is inexhaustible!

Here's an angry Juno with something to say about this.

Faustina Jr, AD 147-175.
Roman AR Denarius, 3.54 g, 18.4 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 169-170.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right, Beckmann type 10 hairstyle.
Rev: IVNO, Juno, veiled, draped, standing left, holding patera in extended right hand and scepter in left hand; at left, peacock.
Refs: RIC 688; BMC 105; Cohen 120; RCV 5255; CRE 190.

[Octavius]

 Jupiter - denarius of civil war, 68 -69 CE.

Saturn - RR aes grave semis...

[Marsyas Mike]

This gives me an opportunity to show my latest Jupiter (if Zeus is okay).  At least I think it is Zeus; some sources say it is Orontes, Satrap of Mysia.  Heck if I know.

Adramytion, Mysia Æ 12 Orontes, Satrap of Mysia  (c. 357-352 B.C.) Laureate head of Zeus right. / AΔΡ[A]MY anti-clockwise from lower left, forepart of archaic Pegasos right. Imhoof GM 150; Klein 246; Babelon Traité II-2, 2517 (1.78 grams / 12 x 11 mm) eBay Jan. 2023

Notes:  "According to Troxell...Orontes was the son-in-law of the Persian Great King, Artaxerxes II Mnemon...c. 355 BC, Orontes was once again in western Asia Minor  and in revolt for a third time... From an inscription (348 BC), Orontes was allied with Athens in a commercial treaty to supply the Athenian army with grain during its attempt to relieve of the Macedonian siege Olynthos..." (CNG)

Attribution Notes: Note this is the one with reverse legends and without the grain-ear. 

From Wildwinds & auctions:  Imhoof GM 150; Klein 246; Babelon Traité II-2, 2517; Fritze, Mysien 3; Troxell, Orontes 2; Stauber Adramytteion 13A; Stauber 13B-13N, 14A-14F.