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Science and technology -
Satellite
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Written by Jean-Marc Perreault
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Thursday, 03 July 2008 13:57 |
 A natural satellite or moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body, which is called the primary. Technically, the term natural satellite could refer to a planet orbiting a star, or a dwarf galaxy orbiting a major galaxy, but it is normally synonymous with moon and used to identify non-artificial satellites of planets, dwarf planets, and minor planets. (There are no known natural satellites of moons.) Two hundred and forty bodies, all in the Solar System, are classified as moons. They include 166 orbiting the eight planets,[1] 4 orbiting dwarf planets, and dozens more orbiting small solar system bodies. Other stars and their planets are very likely to have natural satellites, although none have yet been observed. |
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Last Updated on Monday, 07 July 2008 07:48 |
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