No One Actually Knows What a Moon Is
No One Actually Knows What a Moon Is
This article explores the lack of an official astronomical definition for a "moon," despite the discovery of various moon-like objects such as quasi-moons, mini-moons, and moonlets. It highlights the confusion this ambiguity causes among scientists and the public, especially as new technologies enable the identification of ever smaller and more transient celestial bodies. The piece notes the International Astronomical Union's historical reluctance to provide a clear definition, citing past controversies like Pluto's reclassification. It also briefly discusses Earth's single natural satellite and the intriguing, albeit remote, possibility of another undetected moon.
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add to the list of entities lacking definitions: mountains, hills, highways, freeways, rivers and cities.
deep diving a bit more into this subject leads to more interesting concepts to help think about what is a moon, where is it and where it is going. in particular, the 3 body problem and the hill sphere are quite relevant.
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