2007-02-01 14:42:16 · 13 answers · asked by Prostidude 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The orbits would get more complicated as the moons were added you would find they would eventually start to interfere with each other and the orbits would start to decay.
I guess the maximum number would be tied to the length of time you could expect then to maintain their orbits.
2007-02-02 01:30:44 · answer #1 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For a while, it would be. However, the moon-of-the-moon will be given a slight tug when its orbit carries it close to the main planet. Over long periods of time, this would serve to elongate the moon-of-the-moon's orbit until it's either captured by the main planet, runs into it or the moon, or is ejected from the system entirely.
2007-02-02 01:34:42 · answer #2 · answered by Sam D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is. In a sense the moon does already--there are a couple of unmanned satellites in lunar orbit.
But the gravitational interactions of such a system as you describe would be very complex--and almost certainly unstable. so the arrangement would not last very long. Most likely the "moo n of a moon of a moon" at lleat would be pulled into a different orbit in a fairly short period of time.
2007-02-01 23:24:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only for a short time, since its orbit would be made unstable due to the change in gravitational attraction as it orbited the moon and the moon orbited the planet, but the command modules in the later Apollo missions managed it ok; so they were artificial moons of Luna!
2007-02-01 23:16:52 · answer #4 · answered by CLICKHEREx 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sure, place the Earth in a very wide orbit around Jupiter, the moon around the Earth, and an artificial satellite or small Phobos-like thing around the moon.
Everything needs to be stabley inside the next higher up's gravitational zone of influence while outside the gravitational zone of any other bodies.
2007-02-02 03:48:26 · answer #5 · answered by anonymous 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you try to examine our solar system, your query is answerable by no but it is possible that there is a matter invisible to the human eye that orbit the moon
2007-02-01 22:50:07 · answer #6 · answered by probug 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jupiter has a moon that has a moon. but i don't know if there a moon to moon to moon thing
2007-02-01 23:23:54 · answer #7 · answered by Yup 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
then the moon would be affected by the planets gravity and who knows what would happen
2007-02-01 23:35:25 · answer #8 · answered by wesnaw1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, just look at Pluto(not literally). it is supposed to be a moon, with the so called planet X as its sister planet, as it was a couple years ago., now it and Pluto are now moons so technically they are a moon with a moon. wahahaha. well i hope that this helps.
2007-02-01 22:55:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
It's theoretically possible, but there are no known examples.
2007-02-01 22:47:34 · answer #10 · answered by Keith P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋