• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Space / What Is a Satellite and What Is the Difference Between a Satellite and a Moon In Astronomy?

What Is a Satellite and What Is the Difference Between a Satellite and a Moon In Astronomy?

May 17, 2020 by Karen Hill

A natural satellite is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body and is also commonly referred to as a moon.

They’re both essentially the same thing.

A satellite is an object that orbits another, parent, object.

For instance, the Moon is Earth’s satellite, and the Earth is a satellite of the Sun.

The solar system is a satellite of the Milky Way’s nucleus.

All planets, except for Mercury and Venus, have at least one satellite, or moon.

Earth has one satellite called the Moon. Saturn has at least 62 moons, of which, Titan is the largest.

In 2009, 336 bodies in the solar system were formally classified as moons.

These days some satellites can be fabricated, such as space stations.

Related Facts

  • How Does the Moon Always Keep the Same Face Toward Earth?
  • The Best 20 Inventions Ever Invented
  • What Causes the Phases Of the Moon and What Are the Different Phases Of the Moon Called?
  • Why Is There a Simultaneous High Tide On Both Sides of the Earth and What Causes the Tide Generating Force?
  • Why Is the Moon So Much Bigger When It’s Rising and Setting On the Horizon?
  • Why Do the Phases of the Moon Take Longer Than One Moon Orbit and How Often Does the Moon Orbit the Earth?

Filed Under: Space

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What Is the Sister Theory of the Moon’s Formation and When Did We Discover That the Theory Was Unfeasible?
Next Post: What Is a Magnetosphere, How Big Is the Magnetosphere, and When Was the Earth’s Magnetosphere Discovered? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy