Out of curiosity I decided to look up the definition of a moon so I could figure out what exactly constitutes a moon vs any other astronomical object orbiting a planet such as a small, captured...
Out of curiosity I decided to look up the definition of a moon so I could figure out what exactly constitutes a moon vs any other astronomical object orbiting a planet such as a small, captured asteroid.
It turns out that, unlike planets and dwarf-planets which are officially defined by the IAU in order to distinguish them from minor planets (any other astronomical objects orbiting a star), "moons" are synonymous with natural satellite so there are absolutely no restrictions regarding what size or mass can constitute one. This means that even a pea sized hunk of porous stone would technically be counted as a moon so long as it was discovered and shown to be in a stable orbit around another planet (even a minor planet).
That fact sadly diminishes this news a bit, IMO. :(
One of my favourite moon facts is that our moon might not technically be a moon, but instead you could look at the Earth and Moon together as a bi-planetary system.
One of my favourite moon facts is that our moon might not technically be a moon, but instead you could look at the Earth and Moon together as a bi-planetary system.
Meh... it's still interesting that we're discovering new astronomical objects orbiting our neighboring planets, but it's a bit less fuel for the imagination knowing that many of these newly...
Meh... it's still interesting that we're discovering new astronomical objects orbiting our neighboring planets, but it's a bit less fuel for the imagination knowing that many of these newly discovered moons are likely much smaller than we picture them and can't be landed on or walked around on by us like our moon can. :P
I mean, I felt like it was kinda obvious that they weren't going to be huge, planet sized satellites so don't beat yourself up. I think it's definitely some interesting shit
I mean, I felt like it was kinda obvious that they weren't going to be huge, planet sized satellites so don't beat yourself up. I think it's definitely some interesting shit
I am certainly not an expert (or even a novice... just someone who was interested so googled around), but I think so, yes. Though there is also the term "moonlet" which I keep coming across in...
I am certainly not an expert (or even a novice... just someone who was interested so googled around), but I think so, yes. Though there is also the term "moonlet" which I keep coming across in reference to the smaller astronomical objects identified in the rings orbiting Saturn. What constitutes a moonlet vs moon is not exactly clear either though since it appears to have virtually the same definition as moon just with "particularly small" in it... but what qualifies as "particularly small" isn't discussed.
Out of curiosity I decided to look up the definition of a moon so I could figure out what exactly constitutes a moon vs any other astronomical object orbiting a planet such as a small, captured asteroid.
It turns out that, unlike planets and dwarf-planets which are officially defined by the IAU in order to distinguish them from minor planets (any other astronomical objects orbiting a star), "moons" are synonymous with natural satellite so there are absolutely no restrictions regarding what size or mass can constitute one. This means that even a pea sized hunk of porous stone would technically be counted as a moon so long as it was discovered and shown to be in a stable orbit around another planet (even a minor planet).
That fact sadly diminishes this news a bit, IMO. :(
One of my favourite moon facts is that our moon might not technically be a moon, but instead you could look at the Earth and Moon together as a bi-planetary system.
Pluto and Charon are. They orbit a point in between each other. The Moon and Earth orbit a point deep in the Earth.
Meh... it's still interesting that we're discovering new astronomical objects orbiting our neighboring planets, but it's a bit less fuel for the imagination knowing that many of these newly discovered moons are likely much smaller than we picture them and can't be landed on or walked around on by us like our moon can. :P
I mean, I felt like it was kinda obvious that they weren't going to be huge, planet sized satellites so don't beat yourself up. I think it's definitely some interesting shit
Mars' moons are little more than lumpy, malformed rubble buckets roughly the size of a medium sized town
What’s the rent like?
Would this technically make all the debris in Saturn's ring moons?
I am certainly not an expert (or even a novice... just someone who was interested so googled around), but I think so, yes. Though there is also the term "moonlet" which I keep coming across in reference to the smaller astronomical objects identified in the rings orbiting Saturn. What constitutes a moonlet vs moon is not exactly clear either though since it appears to have virtually the same definition as moon just with "particularly small" in it... but what qualifies as "particularly small" isn't discussed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlet