Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

(rephrase) Given the fact that the moon is huge in comparison to other planets and their tiny moons?

You know..like earth and the moon (which I know is only a quarter of the size of EARTH) could be considered a double planet...

4 Answers

Relevance
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    you'd think, but were pretty stingy about giving the title planet. I don't know what the big deal is any way. If you want to call the moon a planet thats fine by me. It would be kind of funny because if the moon is a planet then whats a moon?

  • 1 decade ago

    A double planet has a very specific definition in Astronomy.

    To qualify as a double planet, the center of mass must be external to both bodies, such that the center of both orbits isn't just around one of them, but rather about a point of empty space.

    Earth and moon do not fit this definition. The center of mass of Earth and moon is at about 0.7 Earth radii from the center of Earth. Hence, you can definitely say that the moon orbits Earth.

    That isn't to say that maybe someday, the Earth and moon will fit this definition...and in fact, someday they will.

    The moon is gradually receding from Earth, on the order of a few cm per year. Eventually, given a few billion years, Earth and moon may be a binary planet system, similar to Pluto-Charon today.

    FYI: no one calls it Terra and Luna except for people who know Latin and science fiction authors who want to be unique. The name of our planet and its natural satellite in the English language are Earth and "the Moon"

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    it soundslike you have little if any idea fo what you write...

    the moon isn't hge except as in perspective because of it'sproximity to earth...

  • Zyzzyx
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Yes, I agree with you.

    I also see Terra and Luna as a binary planetary system.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.