5. What is the difference between a planet and a satellite? A planet is a large body which is in direct orbit around the sun. There are also many smaller bodies in orbit around the sun, called minor planets or asteroids (small objects which originally come from the outer regions of the solar system and are icy in nature are called comets). A satellite is an object in orbit about a planet. Strictly speaking, the word "moon" should only be used for Earth's moon, with "moons" of the other planets called "natural satellites". |