No, a planet is a moon when its criterium meets the astronomical definition of a moon: i.e. it orbits a planet. It is not about personal whimsy; it's about scientific definition.
Moons missing .
- Thread starter tyros
- Start date
- Status
No, a planet is a moon when its criterium meets the astronomical definition of a moon: i.e. it orbits a planet. It is not about personal whimsy; it's about scientific definition.
I'd love to have a play with Stellar Forge's code. I have to console myself with looking at this (if anyone's interested) http://www.jongware.com/galaxy1.html
*Edit* The real problem with moons (or whatever we're calling them now in this thread) is that my OCD kicks in when exploring and scanning - gotta catch 'em all! (Hmmmm, perhaps more moons ain't a good idea.
)
Last edited:
No. You are never supposed to call ANYTHING a moon, except for THE moon, as in the PLANET orbiting EARTH. Everything else is called natural satellites including THE moon.
Last edited:
Do you feel like you created a thread like an episode of QI now?
Except everyone in the thread is Stephen Fry and you're the only Alan Davies :-D
Last edited:
"The moon" is a NAME, like Earth, Saturn, Mars etc. They all are planets. Just like "Sun" is just the name for OUR star. Natural satellites (what you mean by "moons") are simply natural objects (planets, asteroids etc.) orbiting other planets.
Last edited:
If NASA and organizations like the International Astronomy Union use the term "moon" as the term for a celestial body that orbits a planet, I think it's good enough for all of us Jr. Space Pilots in Elite Dangerous to do the same.
(For examples, just check out all of the data and press releases regarding the New Horizons probe as it approaches Pluto. You will see many, many references to "Pluto's moons.") If you really want to split hairs, you can say that "THE Moon" refers to our moon. But that's just one name for it. Some people like Luna, for example. But little "m" moon is an accepted term for a body that orbits a planet - even poor Pluto after its demotion.
The same thing goes for the term "sun." Big "S" Sun, you're talking about our star, Sol. But little "s" sun is just another term for star. It's acceptable to say "the local sun."
If ya don't believe that, again I refer you to professionals. But trust me, they're cool with it.
Here's a couple quick examples, if you don't feel like googling:
http://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1303/
"The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is announcing that the names Kerberos and Styx have officially been recognised for the fourth and fifth moons of Pluto, which were discovered in 2011 and 2012. The names were submitted to the IAU by the leader of the team responsible for the discovery, who had called for the help of the general public in an open contest that attracted a substantial number of participants."
http://www.nasa.gov/nh_new-horizons-spots-small-moons-orbiting-pluto/
"Exactly 85 years after Clyde Tombaugh’s historic discovery of Pluto, the NASA spacecraft set to encounter the icy dwarf planet this summer is providing its first views of the small moons orbiting Pluto."
Last edited:
If NASA and organizations like the International Astronomy Union use the term "moon" as the term for a celestial body that orbits a planet, I think it's good enough for all of us Jr. Space Pilots in Elite Dangerous to do the same.
If you really want to split hairs, you can say that "THE Moon" refers to our moon. But that's just one name for it. Some people like Luna, for example. But little "m" moon is an accepted term for a body that orbits a planet - even poor Pluto after its demotion.
The same thing goes for the term "sun." Big "S" Sun, you're talking about our star, Sol. But little "s" sun is just another term for star. It's acceptable to say "the local sun."
If ya don't believe that, again I refer you to professionals. But trust me, they're cool with it.
Here's a couple quick examples, if you don't feel like googling:
http://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1303/
"The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is announcing that the names Kerberos and Styx have officially been recognised for the fourth and fifth moons of Pluto, which were discovered in 2011 and 2012. The names were submitted to the IAU by the leader of the team responsible for the discovery, who had called for the help of the general public in an open contest that attracted a substantial number of participants."
http://www.nasa.gov/nh_new-horizons-spots-small-moons-orbiting-pluto/
"Exactly 85 years after Clyde Tombaugh’s historic discovery of Pluto, the NASA spacecraft set to encounter the icy dwarf planet this summer is providing its first views of the small moons orbiting Pluto."
Yes you are right, but it's just slang. I was trying to make it clear to tyros WHY a "moon" can be a normal planet. Simply by explaining him the actual definition of moon.
Well I'm done here. tyron simply skips over 90% of the answers here actively trying to stay stupid, so be it.
Last edited:
Again. No. It's called THE Moon, not simply 'moon'. Or Luna, if you want to get fancy. Using the term 'moon' for a natural satellite is perfectly ok in most situations. I get that you want to stomp on someone whose initial posts gave off a troll-y vibe, but right now you're edging into trolling territory as well by pushing that (mistaken) point.
Calling posts that contradict your point 'fanboy posts' immediately dismisses you from adult conversation. KTXBYE.
Last edited:
I don't think it's a troll thread. The guy was asking about moons and there was some interesting responses.
Explain why you would call them fanboy posts? To me they seem like straight forward explanations to your question.
- Status