How Many Moons Could Earth Handle? #kurzgesagt #shorts

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·Nov 2, 2024

How many moons could Earth handle? The main factor is space. Any moon needs a clean orbit and we have to take two things into account. One, it can't be too far; otherwise, it won't follow a stable orbit around us. Two, it can't be too close either, or the gravitational pull of Earth will grind it into crumbs.

These outer and inner limits define our moon zone, a donut-shaped area where any additional moon will have to live. Each moon around the Earth requires its own personal submoon zone, and these zones shouldn't interact with each other. Like runners on an Olympic racetrack, they need to be spaced out so that their mutual influence is kept to a minimum.

The bigger the mass of a moon, the larger the personal space required. All in all, simulations have shown that only a few constellations would be stable. Earth could either host up to seven moons as big as dwarf planet Ceres, four Pluto-sized moons, or three moon-sized moons.

And then what? Tides might be more violent. There could be different tidal systems, and most notably, on some nights, our sky would be adorned with three bright marbles, frequently casting beautiful shadows on each other. Wow, what a view! But...

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How Many Moons Could Earth Handle? #kurzgesagt #shorts

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