What if moon have submoons? New study finds some answers

Astronomers of University of Bordeaux, Kollmeier and Sean Raymond using equations showed the tidal effects of planets on their moons.

Ever wondered like Earth is orbited by the moon which plays a major role in Earth’s gravitational pull and other natural phenomena on earth could have its own moon. Any other celestial body which is revolving around the moon also could impact the very nature of the moon itself.

Any celestial body which revolves around the moon called as moonmoons, submoon, moonitos, or grandmoons has kept astrophysicist in a dilemma. Could a moon have moonmoons (Moons that orbit other Moons)? What would be the effect of moonmoons on their moons? These are some unanswered question which physicist are trying to find.

In a new research paper Astronomers of University of Bordeaux (France), Kollmeier and Sean Raymond using equations to show the tidal effects of planets on their moons. The team find moonmoon could exist if the host moon is larger in size as compared to their submoon.

The paper titled ‘Can moons have moons?’ also mentioned that the host moon can pull the small moon to crack the submoon into pieces. The basic criteria for the moonmoon are the diameter of six miles or less. Have enough gravity to hold themselves in place and must have a quite distance from its moon.

Kollmeier and Raymond said Earth’s moon qualifies for having a submoon, even the Saturn moon Iapetus and Titan can have submoon. Jupiter’s Callisto also can have submoon.

It’s the matter of time when astronomers could find a moonmoons in our galaxy. What would be interesting will be that how it affects its host moon.