Why is the moon called a satellite?

Answer 1

In a way yes. But the correct answer is no. The Moon is a Satellite of the Earth, but the Earth is a satellite of the sun , so in a way the moon is a satellite of the sun but is not classed as such

Answer 2

The moon is called a satellite because it is a natural object that orbits around a larger celestial body, in this case, Earth. Satellites are commonly defined as objects that orbit around a planet or a star.

Answer 3

The moon is called a satellite because it revolves around the Earth and the center of mass of the system is inside the Earth (had the moon been much more massive and the center of mass somewhere between the Moon and the Earth, it would be called a "binary system")

The Moon is called natural because it was not made by man or any other being.

So the Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth.

Answer 4

Anything that orbits another thing in space is considered a satellite. The Earth is a satellite of the Sun, all of the planets are, and they have their moons, which are satellites of those planets.

A satellite can be synthetic or natural. Synthetic satellites would be communications satellites or the International Space Station, and a natural one would be the moon.

Answer 5

The word "satellite" was in use long before being used to mean "scientific machines orbiting the Earth." It was used for the natural satellites (moons) of planets, for countries in eastern Europe that were dominated by the USSR, and for such things as smaller airport terminals separate from the main one (as in Seattle).

Most people now use "satellite" to mean manmade satellites, and use the adjective "natural" when they are talking about moons, or "the Moon." The astronomical definition of a moon or satellite is a substantially smaller body that orbits a larger one. All satellites of planets also orbit the Sun at the same time, but they are considered separately from the asteroids and minor objects that do not orbit a planet but rather circle the Sun on their own.

Answer 6

The simple definition of a planet is an object that orbits a star.

(If the object is big enough. If it is small it is either a dwarf planet or asteroid.)

The definition of a moon is an object that orbits a planet.

Earth is a planet because it orbits the Sun.

Answer 7

A moon orbits some much larger body that is not a sun. Charon is not actually a moon of Pluto in that sense, but more of a co dwarf planet, as they co orbit a point in space between them. Pluto, like Mars, does have two small moons (besides Charon).

A moon need not be so large its gravity pulls it into a sphere. Neither of the martian moons are all that round.

Answer 8

The moon is a natural satellite because it is Not man-made and it is made of Rocks and Iron and it is naturally made by pressures and collisions of asteroids or some other rocks from outer space...This is all I know.. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong..

Answer 9

a moon is a satellite that circles another planet or is a large asteroid that got caught in the gravitational field around a planet

Answer 10

Because it is the only natural object (that's also bigger than Earth) orbiting Earth. It is the only natural satellite because all the other satellites are man made and artificial.