Thread View: alt.sci.planetary
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Started by Karl Williams
Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:43
I wonder...
Author: Karl Williams
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:43
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:43
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Question still comes up in my mind , is it possible for a moon to have moon? well I think that if a slow passing asteroid was pulled into a orbit around a moon it could be called a moon right?
Re: I wonder...
Author: Michael K. Heney
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 12:59
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 12:59
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In article <karlw.2w5t@terapin.com> karlw@terapin.com (Karl Williams) writes: >Question still comes up in my mind , is it possible for a moon to have moon? >well I think that if a slow passing asteroid was pulled into a orbit around a >moon it could be called a moon right? The trivial answer to your question is "Yes". The question is, how long will this orbit remain ralatively stable? Luna could posess satellites; however, because of mascons and the perturbing influence of the Earth, the sun, Jupiter, etc, the orbit would deteriorate and eventually impact the moon, or wander off away from the moon and into Earth orbit. The biggest problem with an object orbiting a secondary (like Luna) is the perturbing influence of the primary (Earth). I suspect that the greater the distance and the *larger* the mass ratio between the primary and secondary, the easier it would be to have a body in a stable orbit about the secondary. But being a mere systems guru, and not an orbital mechanist, I'm not positive. -- Mike Heney | Senior Systems Analyst and | Reach for the mheney@access.digex.com | Space Activist / Entrepreneur | Stars, eh? Kensington, MD (near DC) | * Will Work for Money * |
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