Solar system moons names

How many planetary moons are there?

There are 171 moons, or natural satellites, orbiting the planets in our solar system; Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune have 1, 2, 66, 62, 27, and 13 moons, respectively. The following is a list of some of the major planetary moons, including those of the dwarf planet Pluto.

What is a planetary moon called?

These moons are called s mall-body satellites. Most planetary moons probably formed from the discs of gas and dust circulating around planets in the early solar system, though some are captured objects that formed elsewhere and fell into orbit around larger worlds. Scientists are very good at spotting tiny moons orbiting distant, giant planets.

Which planet has the most moons in the Solar System?

Here is the list of the known planetary moons in the solar system. Planets Mercury and Venus have no moons. Other planets in the solar system have one or more moons orbiting them. As of June 2023, with 146 confirmed moons, Saturn is the planet that has the most moons in Solar System. Moons come in many shapes, sizes, and types.

Do all planets have moons?

Of the terrestrial (rocky) planets of the inner solar system, neither Mercury nor Venus have any moons at all, Earth has one and Mars has its two small moons. In the outer solar system, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn and the ice giants Uranus and Neptune have dozens of moons.

How are moons named?

The organization in charge of naming them is the International Astronomical Union formed by astronomers from many different countries. Moons are named depending on their parent planet. Generally, they are characters from Greek mythology that are related in some way to the equivalent of the Roman god their planet is named after.

How many moons does Uranus have?

Uranus has 28 known moons that we know of. Some of them are half made of ice. Lastly, Neptune has 16 known moons. One of Neptune's moons, Triton, is as big as dwarf planet Pluto. To learn more about the moons in our solar system, visit the NASA Solar System Exploration moons page.