Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: katie on 30/01/2009 04:30:02

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: katie on 30/01/2009 04:30:02

katie asked the Naked Scientists:
   
A while ago I saw on QI that the earth has more than one moon -
if this is the case, why does everywhere else seem to say that the earth has only one moon- and why can't we see the other moons as easily?

cheers again for your brilliant show (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/)

k

What do you think?

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 30/01/2009 04:47:10

Quote

Earth has a second moon, of sorts, and could have many others, according to three astronomers who did calculations to describe orbital motions at gravitational balance points in space that temporarily pull asteroids into bizarre orbits near our planet.

The 3-mile-wide (5-km) satellite, which takes 770 years to complete a horseshoe-shaped orbit around Earth, is called Cruithne and will remain in a suspended state around Earth for at least 5,000 years.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/second_moon_991029.html

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: demadone on 30/01/2009 09:32:12

Mostly it depends on the shape. If these moons were round and beautiful, everyone would accept them.

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: yor_on on 30/01/2009 09:34:26

As we relatively seen are the center of all expansion, they all are 'moons'.
Some rather big though, and not all have been informed of their new status (yet).

But I expect that to be rectified:)

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 30/01/2009 09:37:48

Moon anybody? (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fmooners%2F1.gif&hash=03ac5b26c07b82fad37855bf6577b56d)(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fmooners%2F1.gif&hash=03ac5b26c07b82fad37855bf6577b56d)(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fmooners%2F1.gif&hash=03ac5b26c07b82fad37855bf6577b56d)(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fmooners%2F1.gif&hash=03ac5b26c07b82fad37855bf6577b56d)(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fmooners%2F1.gif&hash=03ac5b26c07b82fad37855bf6577b56d)

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: Lynda on 30/01/2009 09:52:51

Have any astronomers managed to take a photo of this second "moon"?    I am intrigued!

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: yor_on on 31/01/2009 00:12:59

This is a cool wiki...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne
And the photo is not that exiting :)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Cruithne.jpg

Title: How many moons does Earth have?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 31/01/2009 14:03:11

Apparently 5 have been discovered