Satellites and planets solar system
The natural satellites of the planets play a colossal role in the life of these space objects. Moreover, even we humans are capable of feeling the influence of our planet’s only natural satellite – the Moon.
The natural satellites of the planets of the solar system have aroused keen interest among astronomers since ancient times. To this day, scientists are studying them. What are these space objects?
Natural satellites of planets are cosmic bodies natural origin that orbit the planets. The most interesting for us are natural satellites planets of the solar system, since they are in close proximity from U.S.
There are only two planets in the solar system that do not have natural satellites. These are Venus and Mercury. Although it is assumed that Mercury previously had natural satellites, however this planet in the process of its evolution it lost them. As for the rest of the planets in the solar system, each of them has at least one natural satellite. The most famous of them is the Moon, which is our planet’s faithful cosmic companion. Mars has, Jupiter -, Saturn -, Uranus -, Neptune -. Among these satellites we can find both very unremarkable objects, consisting mainly of stone, and very interesting specimens that deserve special attention, and which we will discuss below.
Classification of satellites
Scientists divide planetary satellites into two types: satellites of artificial origin and natural ones. Satellites of artificial origin or, as they are also called, artificial satellites are spacecraft, created by people, which allow you to observe the planet around which they orbit, as well as other astronomical objects from space. Typically, artificial satellites are used to monitor the weather, radio broadcasts, changes in the topography of the planet's surface, and also for military purposes.
The ISS is the largest artificial satellite of the Earth
It should be noted that not only the Earth has satellites of artificial origin, as many people believe. More than a dozen artificial satellites, created by humanity, revolves around the two closest planets to us - Venus and Mars. They allow you to monitor climatic conditions, changes in relief, as well as receiving other up-to-date information regarding our space neighbors.
Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system
The second category of satellites - natural satellites of planets - is of great interest to us in this article. Natural satellites differ from artificial ones in that they were created not by man, but by nature itself. It is believed that most of the solar system's satellites are asteroids that were captured gravitational forces planets of this system. Subsequently, the asteroids took on a spherical shape and, as a result, began to revolve around the planet that captured them as a constant companion. There is also a theory that says that the natural satellites of planets are fragments of these planets themselves, which for one reason or another broke away from the planet itself during the process of its formation. By the way, according to this theory, this is how the Earth’s natural satellite, the Moon, came into being. This theory confirms chemical analysis composition of the Moon. He showed that the chemical composition of the satellite is practically no different from chemical composition our planet, where the same chemical compounds, as on the Moon.
Interesting facts about the most interesting satellites
One of the most interesting natural satellites of the planets of the solar system is the natural satellite. Charon, in comparison with Pluto, is so huge that many astronomers call these two space objects nothing more than double dwarf planet. The planet Pluto is only twice the size of its natural satellite.
The natural satellite is of keen interest to astronomers. Most of the natural satellites of the solar system's planets are composed primarily of ice, rock, or both, resulting in them lacking an atmosphere. However, Titan has this, and quite dense one, as well as lakes of liquid hydrocarbons.
Another natural satellite that gives scientists hope for discovering extraterrestrial life forms is Jupiter’s satellite. It is believed that under the thick layer of ice that covers the satellite there is an ocean, inside of which there are thermal springs - exactly the same as on Earth. Since some deep-sea life forms on Earth exist thanks to these sources, it is believed that similar life forms may exist on Titan.
The planet Jupiter has another interesting natural satellite -. Io is the only satellite of a planet in the solar system on which astrophysicists first discovered active volcanoes. It is for this reason that he presents special interest for space explorers.
Natural satellite research
Research on the natural satellites of the planets of the Solar System has interested the minds of astronomers since ancient times. Since the invention of the first telescope, people have been actively studying these celestial objects. The breakthrough in the development of civilization made it possible not only to discover a colossal number of satellites of various planets of the solar system, but also to set man on the main, closest to us, satellite of the Earth - the Moon. July 21, 1969 American astronaut Neil Armstrong with his team spaceship Apollo 11 first set foot on the surface of the Moon, which caused rejoicing in the hearts of humanity at that time and is still considered one of the most important and significant events in space exploration.
In addition to the Moon, scientists are actively studying other natural satellites of the planets of the solar system. To do this, astronomers use not only visual and radar observation methods, but also use modern spacecraft, as well as artificial satellites. For example, the “” spacecraft for the first time transmitted to Earth images of several of Jupiter’s largest satellites:,. In particular, it was thanks to these images that scientists were able to record the presence of volcanoes on the moon Io, and the ocean on Europa.
Today, the global community of space researchers continues to be actively engaged in the study of the natural satellites of the planets of the solar system. In addition to various government programs There are also private projects aimed at studying these space objects. In particular, the world famous American company Google is currently developing a tourist lunar rover, on which many people could take a walk on the Moon.
Of the nine planets in the solar system, only Mercury and Venus do not have satellites. All other planets have satellites. The Earth has only one satellite - the Moon (but how big it is!). Mars has two satellites - Phobos (fear) and Deimos (terror). The satellites were discovered in 1877, visible only through powerful telescopes, photographed space stations. They represent small size shapeless blocks, similar to asteroids, the surface of which is covered with craters.
Jupiter's moons Yo, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are called Galilean. They were discovered back in 1610, and are visible even through binoculars. These are the largest satellites of Jupiter. Ganymede and Callisto are the size of Mercury. The moon Io is interesting because it has several volcanoes. The remaining 12 smaller satellites have irregular shape. The richest planet in terms of the number of satellites (23 of them) is Saturn. The largest of its satellites is Titan, it bigger than the moon 2 times.
The brightest satellite in the entire solar system is Enceladus, its surface is similar in brilliance to freshly fallen snow. The planet Uranus has 15 satellites. The largest of them are: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Neptune has two large satellites visible through a telescope - Triton and Nereid. The remaining four have not yet been studied well. The smallest planet in the solar system, Pluto, has so far the only known satellite, Charon; they are close in size to each other. The number of discovered satellites of the planets is 54, but perhaps new satellites will be discovered. Science and technology do not stand still.
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Satellite is dense natural object which orbits the planet. Nothing specific scientific explanation does not provide a satisfactory answer to the question of how the satellites appeared, although several theories exist. The moon was considered only companion, but after the invention of the telescope, satellites of others were discovered. Each planet has one or more satellites, except Mercury and Venus. At Jupiter greatest number satellites - 67. Technological advances allowed man to discover and even send spacecraft on expeditions to other planets and their satellites.
The largest moons in our solar system are:
Ganymede
Ganymede is the largest moon in our system, orbiting Jupiter. Its diameter is 5,262 km. The moon is larger than Mercury and Pluto, and could easily be called a planet if it were orbiting the Sun. Ganymede has its own magnetic field. Its discovery was made by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610. The satellite's orbit is about 1,070,400 km from Jupiter and it takes 7.1 Earth days to complete its orbit. The surface of Ganymede has two main types of landscapes. It has lighter and younger regions, as well as a darker crater area. The satellite's atmosphere is thin and contains oxygen in dispersed molecules. Ganymede is mainly composed of water ice and rock, and presumably has underground oceans. The name of the satellite comes from the name of a prince in ancient Greek mythology.
Titanium
Titan is a satellite of Saturn with a diameter of 5,150 km, making it the second largest moon in the Solar System. It was discovered by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens in 1655. The satellite has a dense atmosphere similar to that of Earth. 90% of the atmosphere consists of nitrogen, and the remaining 10% consists of methane, small amounts of ammonia, argon and ethane. Titan does full turn around Saturn in 16 days. On the surface of the satellite there are seas and lakes filled with liquid hydrocarbons. This is the only thing cosmic body in the solar system, except for the Earth, which has water bodies. The name of the satellite is taken from ancient Greek mythology, in honor of the ancient gods called the Titans. Ice and rock make up the bulk of Titan's mass.
Callisto
Callisto is the second largest satellite of Jupiter and the third largest satellite in the Solar System. It has a diameter of 4821 km and is estimated by scientists to be about 4.5 billion years old; its surface is mostly dotted with craters. Callisto was discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610. The satellite received its name in honor of a nymph from ancient Greek mythology. Callisto orbits Jupiter at a distance of about 1,882,700 km, and completes its orbit in 16.7 Earth days. It is the most distant moon from Jupiter, meaning it was not significantly exposed to the planet's powerful magnetosphere. Water ice, as well as other materials such as magnesium and hydrated silicates, makes up most mass of the satellite. Callisto has a dark surface and is thought to have a salt sea underneath.
And about
Io is the third largest moon of Jupiter and the fourth in the Solar System. Its diameter is 3,643 km. The satellite was first discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. This is the most volcanically active cosmic body along with the Earth. Its surface mainly consists of floodplains of liquid rocks and lava lakes. Io is located approximately 422,000 km from Jupiter, and orbits the planet in 1.77 Earth days. The satellite has a spotted appearance with dominance of white, red, yellow, black and orange flowers. Io's atmosphere is dominated by sulfur dioxide. The moon was named after a nymph from ancient Greek mythology who was seduced by Zeus. Beneath Io's surface is an iron core and an outer layer of silicates.
Other large satellites
Other large satellites of the Solar System include: the Moon (3,475 km), Earth; Europa (3,122 km), Jupiter; Triton (2,707 km), Neptune; Titania (1,578 km), Uranus; Rhea (1,529 km), Saturn and Oberon (1,523 km), Uranus. Most observations of these satellites are made from Earth. The development of technology makes it possible for scientists to send spacecraft to different corners Solar System to get more information about the planets and their moons.
Table: TOP 10 largest satellites in the solar system
| Place in the ranking | Satellite, Planet | Average diameter |
| 1 | Ganymede, Jupiter | 5,262 km |
| 2 | Titan, Saturn | 5,150 km |
| 3 | Callisto, Jupiter | 4,821 km |
| 4 | Io, Jupiter | 3,643 km |
| 5 | Moon, Earth | 3,475 km |
| 6 | Europa, Jupiter | 3,122 km |
| 7 | Triton, Neptune | 2,707 km |
| 8 | Titania, Uranus | 1,578 km |
| 9 | Rhea, Saturn | 1,529 km |
| 10 | Oberon, Uranus | 1,523 km |
Of all the satellites of the solar system, several of the most unusual can be distinguished. They all have some interesting features, which we'll talk below.
Ganymede is the largest moon
Jupiter's moon Ganymede itself is very similar to the Moon, but it is much larger and is the largest satellite in the entire solar system. Another feature is the presence magnetic poles. Ganymede a little larger than Mercury and a little smaller than Mars, it could be mistaken for a planet if it also revolved around the Sun.
Ganymede
Miranda is not the most attractive companion
The satellites of Uranus are not very presentable. A satellite called Miranda stands out from all these satellites. Its name is beautiful, but appearance Not good. However, a closer look at Miranda's surface reveals the most diverse landscape in the solar system: giant ridges alternate with deep plains, and some canyons are 12 times deeper than the famous Grand Canyon!
Miranda
Callisto - crater champion
Jupiter's satellite Calisto immediately appears to be a dead planet that has no signs of life. A lot of meteorites fell on this satellite and, accordingly, they all left behind traces, which are now presented in the form of craters on the satellite. This is the main thing distinctive feature Calisto. It contains the most a large number of craters from all planets and satellites of the solar system.
Callisto (bottom and left), Jupiter (top and right) and Europa (below and left of the Great Red Spot)
Dactyl is a satellite of an asteroid
Dactyl is a satellite whose main distinguishing feature is that it is the smallest of all the satellites in the solar system. It is only 1.6 km long, but it orbits the asteroid. Dactyl is the companion of Ida. According to ancient Greek myth, Ida was the name of a mountain in which tiny creatures lived - dactyls.
Asteroid Ida and its satellite Dactyl
Epimetheus and Janus - the eternal race
In the distant past, the two satellites of Saturn were one, but after the split they began to move almost in the same orbit, changing places every four years and miraculously avoiding collision.
Epimetheus and Janus
Enceladus the Ringbearer
Enceladus is one of the most large satellites Saturn. Almost all of it falls on him and is reflected sunlight, as a result of which it is considered the most reflective object in the Solar System. Enceladus has geysers that emit water vapor and dust into open space. Scientists believe that it was due to the volcanic activity of its satellite that Saturn acquired an E ring, through which Enceladus’ orbit will lie.
E Ring and Enceladus
Triton - a satellite with unique volcanoes
Triton is the most large satellite Neptune. This satellite differs from others in that it revolves around the planet in the direction opposite to its rotation around the Sun. Triton has a large number of volcanoes that emit non-lava, water and ammonia, which freeze instantly afterwards.
Triton
Europe - ocean satellite
Europa is a satellite of Jupiter that has the smoothest surface. This feature is due to the fact that Europe is all covered with ocean, and on its surface there is a thin layer of ice. Under the ice there is a huge amount of liquid - several times more than on Earth. Some researchers who study this satellite have come to the conclusion that there may be life in Europa's ocean.
Europe
Io is a volcanic hell
On Jupiter's moon Io constantly occurs volcanic activity. This is due to the very nature of the planet Jupiter, as a result of which the bowels of the satellite are subject to heating. There are more than 400 volcanoes on the surface, and volcano formation occurs continuously; they can be easily noticed when flying past. But for the same reason, craters are practically invisible on the surface of Io, since they are filled with lava that erupts from volcanoes.
Titan is the best candidate for colonization
Saturn's moon Titan is the most unpredictable and... a unique companion. It has long been proven that it has a denser atmosphere than on Earth. Which contains nitrogen, methane and other gases. For a long time it was unknown what was hidden under these thick clouds of the satellite, and only after the device took pictures, it became clear that there were rivers and lakes of a metonic and titanium nature. It is believed that Titan also has underground reservoirs, which, coupled with low gravity, makes it the best candidate for colonization by earthlings.
Titan's upper atmosphere and South Pole Saturn