Editing Natural satellite (section)

== Occurrence in the Solar System ==
[[File:Moons of the Solar System To Scale (43564841545).png|thumb|330px|right|Largest moons to scale with their parent planets and dwarf planet]]Besides planets and dwarf planets objects within our Solar System known to have natural satellites are 76 in the [[asteroid belt]] (five with two each), four [[Jupiter trojan]]s, 39 [[near-Earth object]]s (two with two satellites each), and 14 [[List of Mars-crossing minor planets|Mars-crossers]].<ref name="Johnston" /> There are also 84 known natural satellites of [[trans-Neptunian objects]].<ref name="Johnston" /> Some 150 additional small bodies have been observed within the [[rings of Saturn]], but only a few were tracked long enough to establish orbits. Planets around other stars are likely to have satellites as well, and although numerous candidates have been detected to date, none have yet been confirmed.

Of the inner planets, [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] and [[Venus]] have no natural satellites; Earth has one large natural satellite, known as the Moon; and [[Mars]] has two tiny natural satellites, [[Phobos (moon)|Phobos]] and [[Deimos (moon)|Deimos]].
The [[giant planet]]s have extensive systems of natural satellites, including half a dozen comparable in size to Earth's Moon: the four [[Galilean moon]]s, Saturn's Titan, and [[Neptune]]'s Triton. Saturn has an additional six mid-sized natural satellites massive enough to have achieved [[hydrostatic equilibrium]], and [[Uranus]] has five. It has been suggested that some [[Natural satellite habitability|satellites may potentially harbour life]].<ref name="WRD-20150127">{{cite journal |last=Woo |first=Marcus |title=Why We're Looking for Alien Life on Moons, Not Just Planets |url=https://www.wired.com/2015/01/looking-alien-life-moons-just-planets/ |date=27 January 2015 |journal=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |access-date=27 January 2015}}</ref>

Among the objects generally agreed by astronomers to be dwarf planets, [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]] and {{dp|Sedna}} have no known natural satellites. Pluto has the relatively large natural satellite Charon and four smaller natural satellites; [[Styx (moon)|Styx]], [[Nix (moon)|Nix]], [[Kerberos (moon)|Kerberos]], and [[Hydra (moon)|Hydra]].<ref name="esahubble">{{cite news|title=Hubble Discovers New Pluto Moon|url=http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1212/|access-date=13 July 2012|newspaper=ESA/Hubble Press Release}}</ref> [[Haumea]] has two natural satellites; {{dp|Orcus}}, {{dp|Quaoar}}, [[Makemake]], {{dp|Gonggong}}, and {{dp|Eris}} have one each. The Pluto–Charon system is unusual in that the [[center of mass#Barycenter in astrophysics and astronomy|center of mass]] lies in open space between the two, a characteristic sometimes associated with a [[double planet|double-planet]] system.

The seven largest [[List of natural satellites|natural satellites]] in the Solar System (those bigger than 2,500&nbsp;km across) are Jupiter's [[Galilean moon]]s (Ganymede, [[Callisto (moon)|Callisto]], Io, and [[Europa (moon)|Europa]]), Saturn's moon Titan, Earth's moon, and Neptune's captured natural satellite Triton. Triton, the smallest of these, has more mass than all smaller natural satellites together. Similarly in the next size group of nine mid-sized natural satellites, between 1,000&nbsp;km and 1,600&nbsp;km across, [[Titania (moon)|Titania]], [[Oberon (moon)|Oberon]], [[Rhea (moon)|Rhea]], [[Iapetus (moon)|Iapetus]], Charon, [[Ariel (moon)|Ariel]], [[Umbriel]], [[Dione (moon)|Dione]], and Tethys, the smallest, Tethys, has more mass than all smaller natural satellites together. As well as the natural satellites of the various planets, there are also over 80 known natural satellites of the [[dwarf planet]]s, [[minor planet]]s and other [[small Solar System body|small Solar System bodies]]. Some studies estimate that up to 15% of all trans-Neptunian objects could have satellites.

The following is a comparative table classifying the natural satellites in the Solar System by diameter. The column on the right includes some notable planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and trans-Neptunian objects for comparison. The natural satellites of the planets are named after mythological figures. These are predominantly Greek, except for the [[moons of Uranus|Uranian natural satellites]], which are named after Shakespearean characters. The twenty satellites massive enough to be round are in bold in the table below. Minor planets and satellites where there is disagreement in the literature on roundness are italicized in the table below.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%; clear: right;"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom; width:8%;" | Mean<br />diameter<br />(km)
! colspan="6" style="background:#cae1ff; text-align:center;" | Satellites of planets
! colspan="7" style="background:#ffdead; text-align:center;" | Satellites of dwarf planets
! rowspan="2" style="width:8%; background:#b2e5cd;" | Satellites of<br />other<br />[[minor planet]]s
! rowspan="2" style="width:8%; background:#7ec0ee;" | Non-satellites<br />for comparison
|-
! style="width:9%; background:#cae1ff;" | Earth
! style="width:9%; background:#cae1ff;" | Mars
! style="width:9%; background:#cae1ff;" | Jupiter
! style="width:9%; background:#cae1ff;" | Saturn
! style="width:9%; background:#cae1ff;" | Uranus
! style="width:9%; background:#cae1ff;" | Neptune
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Orcus
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Pluto
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Haumea
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Quaoar
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Makemake
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Gonggong
! style="width:6.5%; background:#ffdead;" | Eris
|-
! 4,000–6,000
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
| <!--Jupiter-->'''[[Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede]]'''<br />'''[[Callisto (moon)|Callisto]]'''
| <!--Saturn-->'''[[Titan (moon)|Titan]]'''
|<!--Uranus-->
|<!--Neptune-->
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
|<!--Minor planets-->
| <!--Other objects-->'''[[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]'''
|-
! 3,000–4,000
| <!--Earth-->'''[[Moon]]'''
|<!--Mars-->
| <!--Jupiter-->'''[[Io (moon)|Io]]<br />[[Europa (moon)|Europa]]'''
|<!--Saturn-->
|<!--Uranus-->
|<!--Neptune-->
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
|<!--Minor planets-->
|<!--Other objects-->
|-
! 2,000–3,000
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
|<!--Jupiter-->
|<!--Saturn-->
|<!--Uranus-->
| <!--Neptune-->'''[[Triton (moon)|Triton]]'''
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
|<!--Minor planets-->
| <!--Other objects-->'''{{dp|Eris}}'''<br />'''[[Pluto]]'''
|-
! 1,000–2,000
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
|<!--Jupiter-->
| <!--Saturn-->'''[[Rhea (moon)|Rhea]]<br />[[Iapetus (moon)|Iapetus]]<br />[[Dione (moon)|Dione]]<br />[[Tethys (moon)|Tethys]]'''
| <!--Uranus-->'''[[Titania (moon)|Titania]]<br />[[Oberon (moon)|Oberon]]<br />[[Umbriel]]<br />[[Ariel (moon)|Ariel]]'''
|<!--Neptune-->
|<!--Orcus-->
| <!--Pluto-->'''[[Charon (moon)|Charon]]'''
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
|<!--Minor planets-->
| <!--Other objects-->'''{{dp|Makemake}}'''<br />'''[[Haumea]]'''<br />'''[[225088 Gonggong|Gonggong]]''',<br />'''[[50000 Quaoar|Quaoar]]'''
|-
! 500–1,000
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
|<!--Jupiter-->
| <!--Saturn-->'''[[Enceladus]]'''
|<!--Uranus-->
|<!--Neptune-->
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
| <!--Eris-->''[[Dysnomia (moon)|Dysnomia]]''
|<!--Minor planets-->
|<!--Other objects-->'''[[90377 Sedna|Sedna]]''', '''[[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]]''',<br />''[[120347 Salacia|Salacia]]'', ''[[90482 Orcus|Orcus]]'',<br />''[[2 Pallas|Pallas]]'', ''[[4 Vesta|Vesta]]''<br />{{small|many more [[Trans-Neptunian Object|TNOs]]}}
|-
! 250–500
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
|<!--Jupiter-->
| <!--Saturn-->'''[[Mimas (moon)|Mimas]]'''<br />[[Hyperion (moon)|Hyperion]]
| <!--Uranus-->'''[[Miranda (moon)|Miranda]]'''
| <!--Neptune-->[[Proteus (moon)|Proteus]]<br />[[Nereid (moon)|Nereid]]
|<!--Orcus-->[[Vanth (moon)|Vanth]]
|<!--Pluto-->
| <!--Haumea-->[[Hiʻiaka (moon)|Hiʻiaka]]
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
|<!--Minor planets-->[[Actaea (moon)|Salacia I Actaea]]<br/>[[Ilmarë (moon)|Varda I Ilmarë]]<br />[[Hiisi (moon)|Lempo&nbsp;II&nbsp;Hiisi]]
|<!--Other objects-->''[[10 Hygiea]]''<br />{{nowrap|''[[704 Interamnia]]''}}<br />[[87 Sylvia]]<br />[[47171 Lempo]]
[[107 Camilla]]<br />{{small|and [[Largest asteroids|many]] [[List of dwarf planet candidates|others]]}}
|-
! 100–250
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
| <!--Jupiter-->[[Amalthea (moon)|Amalthea]]<br />[[Himalia (moon)|Himalia]]<br />[[Thebe (moon)|Thebe]]
| <!--Saturn-->[[Phoebe (moon)|Phoebe]]<br />[[Janus (moon)|Janus]]<br />[[Epimetheus (moon)|Epimetheus]]
| <!--Uranus-->[[Sycorax (moon)|Sycorax]]<br />[[Puck (moon)|Puck]]<br />[[Portia (moon)|Portia]]
| <!--Neptune-->[[Larissa (moon)|Larissa]]<br />[[Galatea (moon)|Galatea]]<br />[[Despina (moon)|Despina]]
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
| <!--Haumea-->[[Namaka (moon)|Namaka]]
|<!--Quaoar-->
| <!--Makemake-->[[S/2015 (136472) 1]]
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
| <!--Minor planets-->[[(82075) 2000 YW134|S/2005&nbsp;(82075)]]&nbsp;1<br />[[79360 Sila–Nunam|Sila–Nunam]]&nbsp;I<br />[[65489 Ceto|Ceto]]&nbsp;I Phorcys<br />[[617 Patroclus|Patroclus]]&nbsp;I&nbsp;Menoetius<br />[[Paha (moon)|Lempo&nbsp;I&nbsp;Paha]]<br />{{small|~20 more [[Minor planet moon#Trans-Neptunian objects|moons of]] [[Trans-Neptunian Object|TNOs]]}}
| <!--Other objects-->[[3 Juno]]<br />[[15760 Albion]]<br />[[5 Astraea]]<br />[[617 Patroclus]]<br />[[42355 Typhon]]<br />{{small|and many others}}
|-
! 50–100
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
| <!--Jupiter-->[[Elara (moon)|Elara]]<br />[[Pasiphae (moon)|Pasiphae]]
| <!--Saturn-->[[Prometheus (moon)|Prometheus]]<br />[[Pandora (moon)|Pandora]]
| <!--Uranus-->[[Caliban (moon)|Caliban]]<br />[[Juliet (moon)|Juliet]]<br />[[Belinda (moon)|Belinda]]<br />[[Cressida (moon)|Cressida]]<br />[[Rosalind (moon)|Rosalind]]<br />[[Desdemona (moon)|Desdemona]]<br />[[Bianca (moon)|Bianca]]
| <!--Neptune-->[[Thalassa (moon)|Thalassa]]<br />[[Halimede (moon)|Halimede]]<br />[[Neso (moon)|Neso]]<br />[[Naiad (moon)|Naiad]]
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
|<!--Haumea-->
| <!--Quaoar-->[[Weywot]]
|<!--Makemake-->
| <!--Gonggong-->[[Xiangliu (moon)|Xiangliu]] (probably)
|<!--Eris-->
| <!--Minor planets-->[[90 Antiope]]&nbsp;I<br />[[42355 Typhon|Typhon]]&nbsp;I&nbsp;Echidna<br />[[58534 Logos|Logos]]&nbsp;I&nbsp;Zoe<br />{{small|5 more [[Minor planet moon#Trans-Neptunian objects|moons of TNOs]]}}<!--- No TNO moons below Zoe's size (66 km) are known--->
| <!--Other objects-->[[90 Antiope]]<br />[[58534 Logos]]<br />[[253 Mathilde]]<br />{{small|and many others}}
|-
! 25–50
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
| <!--Jupiter-->[[Carme (moon)|Carme]]<br />[[Metis (moon)|Metis]]<br />[[Sinope (moon)|Sinope]]<br />[[Lysithea (moon)|Lysithea]]<br />[[Ananke (moon)|Ananke]]
| <!--Saturn-->[[Siarnaq (moon)|Siarnaq]]<br />[[Helene (moon)|Helene]]<br />[[Albiorix (moon)|Albiorix]]<br />[[Atlas (moon)|Atlas]]<br />[[Pan (moon)|Pan]]
| <!--Uranus-->[[Ophelia (moon)|Ophelia]]<br />[[Cordelia (moon)|Cordelia]]<br />[[Setebos (moon)|Setebos]]<br />[[Prospero (moon)|Prospero]]<br />[[Perdita (moon)|Perdita]]<br />[[Stephano (moon)|Stephano]]
| <!--Neptune-->[[Sao (moon)|Sao]]<br />[[S/2002 N 5]]<br />[[Laomedeia (moon)|Laomedeia]]<br />[[Psamathe (moon)|Psamathe]]<br />[[Hippocamp (moon)|Hippocamp]]
|<!--Orcus-->
| <!--Pluto-->[[Hydra (moon)|Hydra]]<br />[[Nix (moon)|Nix]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-big-is-pluto-new-horizons-settles-decades-long-debate|title=How Big Is Pluto? New Horizons Settles Decades-Long Debate|work=NASA|date=13 July 2015|access-date=16 July 2015|archive-date=1 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701005734/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-big-is-pluto-new-horizons-settles-decades-long-debate/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
| <!--Minor planets-->{{nowrap|[[Linus (moon)|Kalliope I Linus]]}}
| <!--Other objects-->[[1036 Ganymed]]<br />[[243 Ida]]<br />{{small|and many others}}
|-
! 10–25
|<!--Earth-->
| <!--Mars-->[[Phobos (moon)|Phobos]]<br />[[Deimos (moon)|Deimos]]
| <!--Jupiter-->[[Leda (moon)|Leda]]<br />[[Adrastea (moon)|Adrastea]]
| <!--Saturn-->[[Telesto (moon)|Telesto]]<br />[[Paaliaq (moon)|Paaliaq]]<br />[[Calypso (moon)|Calypso]]<br />[[Ymir (moon)|Ymir]]<br />[[Kiviuq (moon)|Kiviuq]]<br />[[Tarvos (moon)|Tarvos]]<br />[[Ijiraq (moon)|Ijiraq]]<br />[[Erriapus]]
| <!--Uranus-->[[Mab (moon)|Mab]]<br />[[Cupid (moon)|Cupid]]<br />[[Francisco (moon)|Francisco]]<br />[[Ferdinand (moon)|Ferdinand]]<br />[[Margaret (moon)|Margaret]]<br />[[Trinculo (moon)|Trinculo]]<br />[[S/2023 U 1]]
|<!--Neptune-->[[S/2021 N 1]] (?)
|<!--Orcus-->
| <!--Pluto-->[[Kerberos (moon)|Kerberos]]<br />[[Styx (moon)|Styx]]
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
| <!--Minor planets-->[[762 Pulcova]] I<br />{{nowrap|[[Romulus (moon)|Sylvia I Romulus]]}}<br />[[624 Hektor]]&nbsp;I&nbsp;Skamandrios<br />{{nowrap|[[Petit-Prince (moon)|Eugenia I Petit-Prince]]}}<br />[[121 Hermione]]&nbsp;I<br />[[283 Emma]]&nbsp;I<br />[[1313 Berna]]&nbsp;I<br />[[107 Camilla]] I
| <!--Other objects-->[[433 Eros]]<br />[[1313 Berna]]<br />{{small|and many others}}
|-
! < 10
|<!--Earth-->
|<!--Mars-->
| <!--Jupiter-->[[Moons of Jupiter|''81 moons'']]<!--THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF MOONS SMALLER THAN 10 KM, NOT THE TOTAL NUMBER!-->
| <!--Saturn-->[[Moons of Saturn|''248 moons'']]<!--THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF MOONS SMALLER THAN 10 KM, NOT THE TOTAL NUMBER!-->
|<!--Uranus-->
|<!--Neptune-->
|<!--Orcus-->
|<!--Pluto-->
|<!--Haumea-->
|<!--Quaoar-->
|<!--Makemake-->
|<!--Gonggong-->
|<!--Eris-->
| <!--Minor planets-->{{nowrap|[[Remus (moon)|Sylvia II Remus]]}}<br />{{nowrap|[[Dactyl (asteroid)|Ida I Dactyl]]}}<br />{{small|[[List of asteroid moons#List of minor planets with moons|and many others]]}}
| <!--Other objects-->many
|}