The Solar System has a total of 419 known moons around planets. If we count dwarf planets, asteroids, and other worlds, the count more than doubles. The "known" in known moon is the important part, however. It is certain that the number will grow, but we do not know when the counter will get updated.

Scientists think the new tiny moon hid for so long -- even eluding the Voyager 2 spacecraft during its flyby about 40 years ago — because of its small size.

The moon will sweep close to the Pleiades open star cluster in the early morning hours of Aug. 16-17, with the ice giant Uranus lurking unseen nearby.

August New Moon carries an air of unpredictability. Forming a tense square with Uranus, the planet of sudden shifts, it opens the door to unexpected changes, signaling the possibility of both breakthroughs and disruptions.