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what is a moon?

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a planet is an object that orbits a star

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a moon is an object that orbits a planet

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some moons are shaped like asteroids

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can be a quite small

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we have not defined the cutoff point where a moon is a moon and not just debris

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our solar systems number of moons has been steadily increasing

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in the last 20 years we have found many new moons around Jupiter and Saturn

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the number changes on an annual basis

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Earth has one moon

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its origin is based on the giant impact hypothesis

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an object half as wide as the earth slammed into the earth very early on

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this collision resulted in both objects being to a large extent vaporized and liquified

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the core of this object combined with earth's core

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the rest of the material from that object and from the outer part of the earth splattered into space into a big disk of debris that eventually consolidated to become the moon

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Mars has two moons

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a possibility that these moons are captured asteroids

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Venus and Mercury don't have any moons

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the gas giants, the large, bloated planets that orbit our Sun

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their gravity and wide orbits have enabled them to pick up many moons

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some of the moons formed in orbit around the planets

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others are captured asteroids and comets