Satellite vs. Moon — What's the Difference?

Man-made equipment launched for communication or observation

A natural satellite orbiting a planet

Any object in space that orbits a planet

An astronomical body visible at various phases

A celestial body captured in the orbit of a planet

A solid body that reflects sunlight and orbits a planet

An object that revolves around a larger object in space

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. At about one-quarter the diameter of Earth (comparable to the width of Australia), it is the largest natural satellite in the Solar System relative to the size of its planet, the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System overall, and is larger than any known dwarf planet.

An artificial object placed in orbit for scientific or military purposes

Often Moon The natural satellite of Earth, visible by reflection of sunlight and having a slightly elliptical orbit, approximately 363,100 kilometers (225,600 miles) distant at perigee and 405,700 kilometers (252,100 miles) at apogee. Its mean diameter is 3,475 kilometers (2,159 miles), its mass approximately one eightieth that of Earth, and its average period of revolution around Earth 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes calculated with respect to the sun.

In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object that has been intentionally placed into orbit. These objects are called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as Earth's Moon.

A natural satellite revolving around a planet.

An object launched to orbit Earth or another celestial body, as a device for reflecting or relaying radio signals or for capturing images.

The moon as it appears at a particular time in its cycle of phases

(Astronomy) A celestial body, such as a moon, planet, comet, or other solar system body, that orbits a larger body.

A month, especially a lunar month.

A small unit in a system or organization that is managed or controlled by a larger, often centrally located unit.

A disk, globe, or crescent resembling the natural satellite of Earth.

A nation dominated politically and economically by another nation.

Moonlight.

An urban or suburban community located near a big city.

Something unreasonable or unattainable

One who attends a powerful dignitary; a subordinate.

(Slang) The bared buttocks.

A subservient follower; a sycophant.

To wander about or pass time languidly and aimlessly.

(Genetics) A short segment of a chromosome separated from the rest by a constriction, typically associated with the formation of a nucleolus.

To yearn or pine as if infatuated.

(Microbiology) A colony of microorganisms whose growth in culture medium is enhanced by certain substances produced by another colony in its proximity.

(Slang) To expose one's buttocks in public as a prank or disrespectful gesture.

Of, relating to, or being a satellite.

(Slang) To expose one's buttocks to (others) as a prank or disrespectful gesture

Of or relating to the transmission of electromagnetic signals by communications satellite

Senseid|en|Q405}} {{alternative case form of Moon.

A moon or other smaller body orbiting a larger one.

Any natural satellite of a planet.

A man-made apparatus designed to be placed in orbit around a celestial body, generally to relay information, data etc. to Earth.

(literary) A month, particularly a lunar month.

A country, state, office, building etc. which is under the jurisdiction, influence, or domination of another body.

A representation of the moon, usually as a crescent or as a circle with a face; a crescent-shaped shape, symbol, or object.

An attendant on an important person; a member of someone's retinue, often in a somewhat derogatory sense; a henchman.

A crescent-like outwork in a fortification.

Satellite TV; reception of television broadcasts via services that utilize man-made satellite technology.

The eighteenth trump/major arcana card of the Tarot.

(grammar) A grammatical construct that takes various forms and may encode a path of movement, a change of state, or the grammatical aspect. Examples: "a bird flew past"; "she turned on the light".

(cartomancy) The thirty-second Lenormand card.

To transmit by satellite.

(card games) In hearts, the action of taking all the point cards in one hand.

An attendant attached to a prince or other powerful person; hence, an obsequious dependent.

To display one's buttocks to, typically as a jest, insult, or protest.

A secondary planet which revolves about another planet; as, the moon is a satellite of the earth. See Solar system, under Solar.

To gaze at lovingly or in adoration.

Situated near; accompanying; as, the satellite veins, those which accompany the arteries.

(usually followed by over or after) To fuss over something adoringly; to be infatuated with someone.

Man-made equipment that orbits around the earth or the moon

To spend time idly, absent-mindedly.

A person who follows or serves another

(transitive) To expose to the rays of the Moon.

Any celestial body orbiting around a planet or star

(transitive) To adorn with moons or crescents.

Broadcast or disseminate via satellite

To rise in price rapidly or suddenly.

Surrounding and dominated by a central authority or power;

(card games) To shoot the moon.

The celestial orb which revolves round the earth; the satellite of the earth; a secondary planet, whose light, borrowed from the sun, is reflected to the earth, and serves to dispel the darkness of night. The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles, its mean distance from the earth is 240,000 miles, and its mass is one eightieth that of the earth. See Lunar month, under Month.

A secondary planet, or satellite, revolving about any member of the solar system; as, the moons of Jupiter or Saturn.

The time occupied by the moon in making one revolution in her orbit; a month.

A crescentlike outwork. See Half-moon.

The deliberately exposed naked buttocks.

To expose to the rays of the moon.

To expose one's naked buttocks to (a person); - a vulgar sign of contempt or disrespect, sometimes done as a prank.

To act if moonstruck; to wander or gaze about in an abstracted manner.

The natural satellite of the Earth;

Any object resembling a moon;

The period between successive new moons (29.531 days)

The light of the moon;

United States religious leader (born in Korea) who founded the Unification Church in 1954; was found guilty of conspiracy to evade taxes (born in 1920)

Any natural satellite of a planet;

Have dreamlike musings or fantasies while awake;

Be idle in a listless or dreamy way

Expose one's buttocks to;

The celestial body closest to Earth

The object of many mythologies and romantic notions

Yes, all moons are naturally occurring satellites.

Satellites can orbit planets, other moons, or even stars.

Satellites stay in orbit due to the balance of gravitational forces and their momentum.

No, satellites can be either natural, like moons, or artificial, like communication satellites.

Moons form from dust and rock circling a planet, which eventually clumps together due to gravity.

Moons tend to be round due to gravity, but some smaller ones may be irregularly shaped.

Earth has one moon.

A space station is a type of artificial satellite designed for humans to live and work in space.

A satellite is any object that orbits around a larger body in space.

Not all planets have moons; Mercury and Venus, for example, do not have any.

No, 'moon' refers exclusively to natural satellites.

Yes, if their orbits intersect, satellites can collide with moons.

The functions vary but often include communications, observations, navigation, and research.

Artificial satellites need fuel for positioning and orbit adjustments, but natural satellites like moons do not.

No, moons have been discovered orbiting planets in other solar systems.