Is there a minimum size a natural satellite must be in order for it to be considered a moon? After all the billions of rocks/ice that make Saturn's rings for example are all natural satellites but they are not all moons.
2007-11-23 00:16:36 · 6 answers · asked by Tony W 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
There is no set size for a natural satellite, as long as it is going round a planet it can be considered a satellite. In the strictest sense of the word, each rock in Saturn's rings are satellites, however, because they all behave similarly and behave as a single ring, they are not considered satellites, and are considered ring formations.
The moon is an example of a naturall satellite and not the name given to like objects. The moon is the name of the Earth's natural satellite. There is only one moon.
2007-11-23 00:24:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
As I understand it, there is no set "size" that an object must be for it to be considered as a moon. What makes some particular object 'a moon' is that it orbits some particular planet in a relatively fixed orbit. There is also a rather obvious cut off of this moon definition where the size decreases down to "very small" chunks of material and even rocks, or pebbles. Most often in those situations there are numerous chunks of material being considered, and only the largest ones are designated moons. Also, where the particles have formed into rings or disks of debris over a long time, the individual particles of matter are not called moons.
As it happens, the Earth only has one moon orbiting it, and it has become named The Moon by its repeated conventional reference as such. We capitalize the "M" to show reference to our (Earth's) particular moon.
2007-11-23 00:38:50 · answer #2 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A natural satellite is a moon, technically if it orbits a planet rather than a star it is considered a moon. The rings of Saturn and other planets (to a lesser extent all of the gas giants have rings) are not moons because they are part of a larger structure.
The minimum saize is not set in stone and a lot of people refer to the larger rocks of ring systems as "moonlets".
2007-11-23 00:52:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A moon obits a planet,and is smaller than the planet.
If a moon happened to be larger than the planet then the planet would be the moon.
It the planet and the moon were exactly the same size they would mutually orbit a central point and you would have a hell of a time figuring which was which. So there!
2007-11-23 01:19:08 · answer #4 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but there is no absolute value.
Let's take 2 bodies that are orbitally influencing each other around some common "center of mass." If the barycenter is located within the mass of one body, then we say the other body is orbiting around this body and is its moon.
Which makes me think of an interesting question to post.
2007-11-23 02:32:08 · answer #5 · answered by Eratosthenes 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No minimum size provided its orbit is stable.
2007-11-23 00:23:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋