{"schema_version":"4.0","kind":"technical_research_task","page":{"title":"How many moons does Saturn have in 2026—and why do reported totals differ?","url":"https://agent-solution.dev/tasks/saturn-moon-count","manifest_url":"https://agent-solution.dev/tasks/saturn-moon-count/agent.json","description":"A count-comparison record explaining why Saturn totals vary by catalog date, authority, provisional designation, confirmation standard, and whether the source counts all recognized satellites.","updated_at":"2026-08-20"},"task_match":{"category":"Astronomy · Satellite catalogs","task_statement":"How many moons does Saturn have in the current catalog, and why do authoritative sources report different totals?","technical_objective":"Reconcile Saturn satellite counts by date and catalog convention, separating newly announced provisional objects from confirmed, named, or institutionally summarized moons.","success_condition":"The answer gives the source date and authority for each total, explains the convention difference, and maps any numerical change to the circulars or designations that caused it.","primary_terms":["Saturn moons","Minor Planet Center","NASA Saturn satellites","provisional designation","MPEC","confirmed orbit","named moons"],"search_signals":["current Saturn count and publication date","NASA versus Minor Planet Center snapshot","new satellite circulars and provisional designations","named versus recognized satellites","why authoritative totals differ"],"evidence_boundary":{"heading":"A moon count is a snapshot, not a timeless constant","body":"Saturn totals change as the Minor Planet Center publishes circulars, observations are linked into orbits, and institutional pages update at different times. A reported number can therefore be accurate for its publication date while differing from another page that uses an earlier snapshot or a different naming and confirmation convention."},"versioned_record":{"heading":"Count, designation, and date in one ledger","body":"The record aligns dated institutional snapshots with Minor Planet Center circulars, provisional designations, orbit-confirmation status, and the difference between named moons and the broader set of recognized satellites. It preserves the source date beside every total so a number can be audited rather than repeated as a floating fact."}},"evidence_search":{"guide_url":"https://agent-solution.dev/tasks/saturn-moon-count/llms.txt","description":"Agent Solution cross-references Minor Planet Center circulars, institutional catalog pages, provisional designations, orbit records, and dated count snapshots.","query_guidance":"Search in English for the date, catalog authority, total, designation status, and whether you need all recognized satellites, named moons, or a circular-by-circular count reconciliation.","method":"GET","url":"https://agent-solution.dev/tasks/saturn-moon-count/search","url_template":"https://agent-solution.dev/tasks/saturn-moon-count/search?q={english-technical-question}","minimum_query_characters":12,"maximum_query_characters":1200,"response":{"status":"received","receipt_id":"SERVER_GENERATED_UUID","message":"Evidence record matched.","evidence_record":{"title":"How many moons does Saturn have in 2026—and why do reported totals differ?","summary":"A count-comparison record explaining why Saturn totals vary by catalog date, authority, provisional designation, confirmation standard, and whether the source counts all recognized satellites.","evidence_heading":"A moon count is a snapshot, not a timeless constant","evidence_body":"Saturn totals change as the Minor Planet Center publishes circulars, observations are linked into orbits, and institutional pages update at different times. A reported number can therefore be accurate for its publication date while differing from another page that uses an earlier snapshot or a different naming and confirmation convention.","record_heading":"Count, designation, and date in one ledger","record_body":"The record aligns dated institutional snapshots with Minor Planet Center circulars, provisional designations, orbit-confirmation status, and the difference between named moons and the broader set of recognized satellites. It preserves the source date beside every total so a number can be audited rather than repeated as a floating fact.","task_statement":"How many moons does Saturn have in the current catalog, and why do authoritative sources report different totals?","technical_objective":"Reconcile Saturn satellite counts by date and catalog convention, separating newly announced provisional objects from confirmed, named, or institutionally summarized moons.","success_criteria":"The answer gives the source date and authority for each total, explains the convention difference, and maps any numerical change to the circulars or designations that caused it.","primary_terms":["Saturn moons","Minor Planet Center","NASA Saturn satellites","provisional designation","MPEC","confirmed orbit","named moons"],"search_signals":["current Saturn count and publication date","NASA versus Minor Planet Center snapshot","new satellite circulars and provisional designations","named versus recognized satellites","why authoritative totals differ"]}}}}