WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000
Intro music.

00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:13.000
Saturn's orbiting family has grown by two with the identification of a pair of small moons circling the planet.

00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:21.000
Measuring three and four kilometers across, the newfound moons are likely to be only two of many more lurking about Saturn and its rings.

00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:31.000
Orbiting approximately 200,000 kilometers from the planet's center, the twin lunar satellites pass near a pair of Saturn's other moons, Mimas and Enceladus.

00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:39.000
Scientists suspect one of the moons may be a previously unclassified object photographed by the Voyager spacecraft 23 years ago.

00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:43.000
The lunar twins' existence could be the product of good luck and even better choice in location.

00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:48.000
In cosmic history, small moons are often destroyed by rampaging comets.

00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:52.000
But in the case of Saturn, passing comets are rare.

00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:57.000
With the lack of threatening comets, it's quite possible that Saturn's newest moons are very old indeed.

00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:04.000
Check back with nasa.gov for continued news and information on Cassini's mission to explore Saturn.

00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:10.000


