Abstract
The Moon is a unique body in the solar system. Other planets have their satellites, but only the Earth possesses a satellite whose orbital angular momentum about its primary exceeds the rotational angular momentum of the primary. For all the other planets, the orbital angular momentum of their satellites is a small fraction of the rotational momentum of the planet. While there are other satellites more massive than the Moon, no other planet possesses a satellite whose mass is such a substantial fraction of the mass of the primary. These unique dynamical characteristics of the Moon have led to a wide diversity of theories regarding its origin, and today, as in past centuries, the Moon’s origin remains a matter of debate.
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MacDonald, G.J.F. (1966). Origin of the Moon: Dynamical Considerations. In: Marsden, B.G., Cameron, A.G.W. (eds) The Earth-Moon System. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-8401-4_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-8401-4_12
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