Recent questions tagged moons

Description : If Earth had multiple natural satellites (moons) would they all be in the same phase at the same time?

Last Answer : The phase is dictated by their position relative to the sun. Like so. So, if they’re all at the same position, yes, they’d all be in the same phase. But if their orbits differ, then their appearance to us would differ. That’d be so cool to have more moons! Think of all that cheese.

Description : Are Saturn’s moons in the rings? Do the moons collide with the ring particles?

Last Answer : One small moon has been found orbiting within the main rings (A, B, C). This moon, named Pan, orbits in the Encke Gap, near the outer edge of the A ring. Pan sweeps the gap clear of ... it and producing particles. No one has yet seen these probable G ring moons - perhaps the Cassini spacecraft will!

Description : Why does Saturn have so many moons, but Earth has only one?

Last Answer : Here again, astronomers can make some educated guesses. There is more planet-building stuff at Saturn's orbital distance than at Earth's orbital distance. This is because Saturn's orbit is so far from ... , which later collided with each other or Earth, and now we are left with one large moon.

Description : Are Saturn’s moons like Earth’s Moon?

Last Answer : Yes and no. Many of them are covered with impact craters like our Moon, but the moons of Saturn are made up of much more water ice than Earth's moon. Earth's Moon may have very tiny patches of ice, ... , and un-like all of the other 60 or so moons in the Solar System, Titan has a thick atmosphere.

Description : Who discovered all these moons?

Last Answer : In 1655, Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch astronomer, observed Saturn through a telescope and discovered Saturn's largest moon, Titan, although it wouldn't be named this for another 200 years. Titan's diameter ... still excited, because this was the first time the F ring clumps had been seen from Earth.

Description : How many moons does Saturn have?

Last Answer : At least 18 moons orbit Saturn. Until recently, Saturn was the moon champion, recognized as having more than any other planet in the Solar System. However, astronomers have announced discoveries ... faces away from their direction of motion. These are called the leading and trailing hemispheres.