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Health & Science5h 5m ago
A new paper suggests that Triton, Neptune's largest moon, obliterated the planet's original moon system, with Nereid being a possible sole survivor.
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Neptune's moon system
Who
researchers at Caltech, Gerard Kuiper
What
A new paper suggests that Triton, Neptune's largest moon, obliterated the planet's original moon system, with Nereid being a possible sole survivor.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:01:46 GMT · 5h 5m ago
Where
Neptune's moon system ·
Why
Triton's highly eccentric, backward orbit, caused by its capture as a Kuiper Belt Object, wreaked havoc on Neptune's existing moons.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This research recharacterizes Nereid from a captured object to a survivor of a violent celestial event, offering potential insights into the formation of the Neptunian system.
Story chain
5 events in this thread- Health & Science5h 5m agoA new paper by researchers at Caltech posits that Triton, Neptune's largest moon, obliterated the regular moon system it previously had, except for one particular exception – Nereid.Open article
- Health & Science5h 5m agoA new paper by researchers at Caltech posits that Triton, by far Neptune's largest moon, absolutely obliterated the regular moon system it previously had, except for Nereid.Open article
- Health & Science5h 5m agoA new paper by researchers at Caltech posits that Triton, Neptune's largest moon, obliterated the regular moon system it previously had, except for Nereid.Open article
- Health & Science5h 5m agoA new paper by researchers at Caltech posits that Triton, Neptune's largest moon, obliterated the regular moon system it previously had, with Nereid being the sole exception.Open article
- Currently Reading5h 5m agoA new paper suggests that Triton, Neptune's largest moon, obliterated the planet's original moon system, with Nereid being a possible sole survivor.