Observe: The Moons of the Solar System

Most planets (and dwarf planets) in the solar system have their own moons. Some have more than one, but Mercury and Venus have none.

Many people think that moons are smaller than planets. However, this is not true. Several moons in the solar system are larger than both the planet Mercury, and the dwarf planet Pluto.

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Some moons have volcanoes, atmospheres, and possibly liquid, water oceans.

The difference between a moon and a planet has to do with one thing – what they orbit (or circle) around. If the object orbits the Sun it is called a planet. If it orbits a planet instead of the Sun, then it is called a moon.

  Notebook: What are the similarities and differences between the moons in our solar system?

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  Literary Connection

Currently, Uranus has 27 identified moons that have all been named after characters from works written by William Shakespeare or Alexander Pope. Some examples include Titania and Oberon from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Miranda and Ariel from The Tempest.