is the moon the only nature satellite of earth?

Answer 1

Yes.
Any object that ORBITS a planet is called a SATELLITE. The MOON is the only NATURAL satellite of the Earth. Since 1957, THOUSANDS of MAN-MADE objects have been put into orbit. These are often called ARTIFICIAL satellites.

Answer 2

Yes. As the saying goes, "the moon is a jealous" ... ummm, female canine. Hey, don't look at me like that, I didn't coin that one, and there is a metaphorical significance to that rude sounding expression. The point of the joke is that the moon is as a very jealous stalker who hunts down and takes out her rivals, whenever they get too close to her mate (the earth).

The moon is so massive that apparently (I haven't done the calculations myself) nothing else in near earth space can have a stable orbit over a geological timespan, unless it is in the currently vacant L4 and L5 positions, I suppose (and maybe not even then). The not so gentle nudging of the moon would eventually cause any second natural satellite to either crash into the moon, drop earthward (much less likely, I suspect, given how much angular momentum it would have to lose) or get ejected from the earth-moon system.

Remember, if you're in late middle age, you predate every artificial satellite man has ever launched. They aren't being put up there with the thought that they'll be in service for the next million years; even over just a few decades, orbital decay has been an issue.


BTW, despite what you may have heard. Cruithne is not a moon, as a number of sites will confirm, including this one:

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=578

A moon travels in a path taking it around a planet. Cruithne does not travel around the earth, it travels around the sun in a very near earth orbit that leaves it tracing a complicated horseshoe pattern relative to the earth. Read the sources, and don't just take somebody's word for what they're saying.

We're looking at a near earth object in an orbital resonance with earth. This is not the same thing at all, as being a moon of the earth. Calling Cruithne one of Earth's moons would be like calling Pluto a moon of Neptune.

Answer 3

Amazingly, the Earth has a second moon, it's called Cruithne! It was discovered in 1986, we also know it cannot be seen with the naked eye. Given its highly eccentric orbit it's probably a captured asteroid and almost certainly a temporary moon to our Earth of an estimated another 5,000 years.

The question is: can we seriously consider Cruithne as the Earth's second nature satellite given the volatility of Cruithne's orbit? I don't know. I happen to have spoken to a friend astronomer on that, he would never have thought of Cruithne as a second satellite he told me.

Answer 4

Yes it is. Stories you may have heard about other moons are really about asteroids that orbit the Sun but do so in resonance with Earth, frequently approaching very near Earth only to withdraw again, over and over.

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

Yes

Answer 7

NO, well sort of. The moon is the only meaningful one that has an effect on us. There are tons of space crape orbiting around us but nothing big. At most SUV sized.

Answer 8

yes

Answer 9

no--go to NASA site and see all kinds of Satelites.
http://www.nasa.gov.org

Answer 10

YES