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What is the maximum number of moons or moonlets that a habitable planet could plausibly have? Define "moon" as opposed to "moonlet" as a natural satellite big enough for hydrostatic equilibrium, and a moonlet as being irregular, and habitable as being colonizable by humans.
Can a habitable planet have two moons? Three? Four? Can it have four moonlets? Six? Ten?
Order of Kilopi
From what I've been told, two large moons is unlikely and three is probably the practical limit.
As for moonlets, it might be possible to have a great many, as long as their orbit isn't interfered with by a large moon's tide. However, for small moonlets, the most likely method of acquisition is capture, so a planet with that many small bodies in orbit probably means it's in a region of many asteroids, and so its habitability may be in question.
STARGAZING: All I see are the lights of a billion places I'll never go. --Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary
Order of Kilopi
Are you talking an Earth like planet? We know Ceres is less then 1000km in diameter and is rocky. The number of moons you could have would be very dependant on the whole system's configuration. The issue I see is that to be close enough for liquid water you are probably going to be close enough where the system's sun will effect the orbits of multiple moons in such a way that they'll be less stable. If you use one of the few gravity simulators out there then you could test how stable your system was and for how long.
Established Member
Hydro static equilibrium? What do you mean?Originally Posted by Tom Mazanec
I'm not a hardnosed mainstreamer; I just like the observations, theories, predictions, and results to match.
"Mainstream isn’t a faith system. It is a verified body of work that must be taken into account if you wish to add to that body of work, or if you want to change the conclusions of that body of work." - korjik
Order of Kilopi
A round ball. Molten rock found its level before cooling.
STARGAZING: All I see are the lights of a billion places I'll never go. --Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary
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