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Today in History: Barnard discovers Amalthea, Jupiter’s last visual moon

9/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On 9 September 1892 at UC’s Lick Observatory, astronomer Edward E. Barnard visually identified Jupiter’s moon Amalthea, the fifth known Jovian satellite and the final natural satellite discovered by eye rather than photography. He named it after the Greek mythic goat-nurturer, marking a milestone in observational astronomy.

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Story summary

On 9 September 1892 at UC’s Lick Observatory, astronomer Edward E. Barnard visually identified Jupiter’s moon Amalthea, the fifth known Jovian satellite and the final natural satellite discovered by eye rather than photography. He named it after the Greek mythic goat-nurturer, marking a milestone in observational astronomy.