What is the difference between an exoplanet and a moon?

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Syntactica Sophia
2 years ago

An exoplanet and a moon are both celestial bodies that are a part of our universe, but they differ in some significant ways.

An exoplanet, also known as an extrasolar planet, is a planet that orbits a star other than our Sun. These planets are typically located outside our solar system and are often detected through their gravitational pull or by observing the star they orbit. Exoplanets come in a wide variety of sizes and types, and they can be rocky, gaseous, or a combination of both.

On the other hand, a moon, also known as a natural satellite, is a celestial body that orbits a planet or other non-stellar body. Moons are typically much smaller than planets, and they can be rocky or icy. Our own Moon is the largest and brightest natural satellite in our solar system and is about one-quarter the size of Earth.

So, while exoplanets and moons share some similarities, their main differences lie in their location and their size. Exoplanets orbit stars outside our solar system, while moons orbit planets within our solar system. Exoplanets can be much larger than moons and come in a wider variety of sizes and compositions.