• VoidJuiceConcentrate
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        7 days ago

        this leads to the question: are they still considered a moon when the barycenter is in the space between them?

        • CrazyLikeGollum@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          7 days ago

          There is no clear definition of what constitutes a moon other than it being a body that orbits another body that orbits the parent star.

          There are some astronomers who say the dividing line between a moon-planet/dwarf planet/asteroid system and binary (or more) planet/dwarf planet/asteroid system is whether or not the barycenter of the orbits is within one of the bodies or not.

          And fun fact: if that definition gained acceptance, it would mean that the Pluto-Charon system would go from a dwarf planet-moon system to a binary dwarf planet system. Charon could get a promotion.