The Only Moons That Trade Places

The video explores the unique orbital relationship between Saturn's moons Janus and Epimetheus. Discovered in the 1960s, these moons share a one-to-one resonance, switching orbits every four years. Unlike typical celestial bodies in such arrangements, Janus and Epimetheus are similar in size. The Cassini spacecraft provided detailed observations, revealing that these moons are likely rocky rubble piles with craters, possibly contributing to a faint ring around Saturn. Their orbital dance is a rare phenomenon in our solar system.

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