PV Gap

Terri Said:

How many satellites are present in our solar system now?

We Answered:

According to the NASA website, there are 134.*

Mercury - 0
Venus - 0
Earth - 1
Mars - 2
Jupiter - 62
Saturn - 31
Uranus - 24
Neptune - 13
Pluto - 1

But there is another website that claims there are 156.**

Mercury=0
Venus=0
Earth=1
Mars=2
Jupiter=63
Saturn=47
Uranus=27
Neptune=13
Pluto=3

Take it for what it's worth.

Johnny Said:

What are some names of solar satellites? and What is the center of the solar system?

We Answered:

Solar Satellites would be things that orbit the CENTER of the solar system.

In OUR solar system, the center is the sun.

So, in OUR solar system, some solar satellites would be:

PLANETS: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

DWARF PLANETS: Ceres, Eris, Pluto, Makemake, and Haumea.

ASTEROIDS

and some PERIODIC COMETS.


The center of OUR SOLAR SYSTEM is the sun.

Other solar systems have different planets orbiting them, and have different stars at their center, sometimes even binary stars (two stars orbiting one another).

Hope this helps.

Alexander Said:

How many satellites have left the Solar System?

We Answered:

It sort of depends on how you define "the solar system".

If you mean how many are beyond the orbit of the most distant planet--then the answer is four, Pioneer 10 and 11, launched in 1972 and 1973, and Voyager 1 and 2, launched in 1977. The New Horizons mission, launched in 2006, will join that group in a couple of years.

If you mean how many are at the point where the "solar wind" is no longer stronger than the the interstellar medium, then Voyager 1 is right about at that boundary. Pioneer 10 might be as well, but we don't know, since it quit functioning several years ago.

If you mean how many are at the point where the sun is no longer the dominant gravitational force acting on them, the answer is none.

Johnny Said:

Why does the Moon not have a name like the other natural satellites in the solar system?

We Answered:

It's got various names, including Diana, Selene and Cynthia.

Elizabeth Said:

What keeps solar systems satellites and galaxies together?

We Answered:

A little something i like to call...

GRA-VI-TY

Milton Said:

Do other planets in our solar system have satellites?

We Answered:

Yes
Mars has 2
Jupiter has 63 confirmed
Saturn has 62 confirmed
Uranus has 27 confirmed
Neptune has 13 confirmed
Dwarf Pluto has 3
Dwarf Haumea has 2
Dwarf Eris has 1