145 know each other natural satellites of the solar system, in addition to the Moon, according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU). This number does not include moons still awaiting official recognition, or moons of dwarf planets..
A dwarf planet is one that due to its size cannot clear most of the small objects that orbit it. Tiny natural satellites that orbit asteroids or celestial bodies are also left out.
On the other hand, a satellite is anything that orbits a larger object. Natural satellites are those that orbit the planets. They are also known as moons.
The natural satellites of the solar system vary in size and type. Some are large enough to be spherical due to gravity.
Others appear to be asteroids trapped in the orbit of some celestial body. A few have atmosphere. Regarding their distribution, some planets lack moons, as is the case of Mercury and Venus..
Earth has only one natural satellite, the Moon, while Mars has two very small ones. The giant planets have a significant number of moons. Some of these are even bigger than Mercury and Pluto.
Mars has two satellites: Deimos and Phobos. Their names were inspired by a passage from Book XV of Homer's Iliad.
In this the God Ares invokes Phobos (Greek name for panic) and Deimos (terror). Phobos is the largest and closest, and its shape is similar to an asteroid.
Deimos also has an irregular appearance and, unlike Phobos, rises in the east and hides in the west..
Jupiter is the planet with the largest number of natural satellites in the solar system, with a total of 67. Galileo discovered the first four in 1610: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede and Io.
Other satellites: Adrastea, Aedea, Aitné, Amaltea, Ananqué, Maple, Autónoe, Calé, Caldona, Calírroe, Carmé, Carpo, Cilene, Elara, Erínome, Euante, Eukélade, Euporia, Eurídome, Harpálice, Hegémone, Heliké, Himalia Hermipia , Isonoé, Kallichore, Kore, Leda, Lisitea, Tebe, Megaclite, Metis, Ortosia, Pasífae, Pasítea, Praxídice, Sinope, Spondé, Táigete, Telxínoe, Temisto, Tione and Yocasta .
The ice and rock particles in Saturn's planetary rings are not considered moons. Its Titan satellite is the second largest in the solar system, and it is the only one with a dense atmosphere..
The other satellites are: Aegir, Albiorix, Antea, Atlas, Bebhionn, Bergelmir, Bestla, Calypso, Daphne, Dione, Egeon, Enceladus, Epimetheus, Erriap, Farbauti, Fenrir, Fornjot, Greip, Hati, Helena, Hyperion, Hyrrokkin, Iapetus , Ijiraq, Jano, Jarnsaxa, Kari, Kiviuq, Loge, Metone, Mimas, Mundilfari, Narvi, Paaliaq, Palene, Pan, Pandora, Phoebe, Polux, Prometheus, Rea, Siarnaq, Skadi, Skoll, Surtur, Suttung, Tarqeq, Tarvos , Telesto, Tethys, Thrym, Titan and Ymir.
Uranus has 27 moons. These are named after characters from classical literature, unlike the other natural satellites of the solar system that are named after Greek and Roman mythological figures..
They are: Ariel, Belinda, Bianca, Calibán, Cordelia, Crésida, Cupido, Desdemona, Ferdinando, Francisco, Julieta, Mab, Margarita, Miranda, Oberón, Ofelia, Perdita, Porcia, Prospero, Puck, Rosalinda, Setebos, Sicorax, Stefano, Titania, Trinculo and Umbrie
The satellites of Neptune are: Despina, Galatea, Halimede, Laomedeia, Larisa, Náyade, Nereida, Neso, Proteo, Psámate, S / 2004 N 1, Sao, Thalasa and Tritón.
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