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Eric Mc
67,253 posts
134 months
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Sensible answer.
Our moon is called THE moon because it was the first moon we were aware of.
We have known about our moon since the dawn of humanity i.e. perhaps 1 million years ago. OK, we may not have truly understood what the moon really was i.e. an object in space, until perhaps 2,000 years ago - but we certainly were aware it was there.
The first "moon" of another planet was not discovered until 1610, when Galileo pointed his first crude telescope at Jupiter and realised that he could see four small objects orbiting that planet. He immediately realised that at least one other planet had "moons" of its own and eventually they were given names from classical mythology.
As telescopes improved, dozens of moons were eventually found orbiting many of the planets, and they were all given their own names.
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Simpo Two
54,209 posts
134 months
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Tim330 said: it's a space station (that is not me)  That looks like a large dead Zippy from Rainbow...
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hidetheelephants
5,589 posts
62 months
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Simpo Two said: Tim330 said: it's a space station (that is not me) That looks like a large dead one-eyed Zippy from Rainbow... EFA I'm partial to this exhaustive 23 episode documentary all about the moon; it's got everything, even the secret nazi moonbase.
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cahami
592 posts
75 months
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November: Beaver Moon
August : Dispute Moon
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C3BER
3,985 posts
92 months
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K12beano said: It's called the moon because doing a full Keith out of a car window just does not sound right. 
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Bedazzled
4,042 posts
90 months
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"Earth" is a bit lame, too.
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Eric Mc
67,253 posts
134 months
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Whch we could call "Terra", La Monde" or "Geos" if we wanted to.
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Einion Yrth
10,396 posts
113 months
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Eric Mc said: Whch we could call "Terra", La Monde" or "Geos" if we wanted to. Or, indeed, Keith... if we wanted to. 
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Eric Mc
67,253 posts
134 months
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Einion Yrth said: Eric Mc said: Whch we could call "Terra", La Monde" or "Geos" if we wanted to. Or, indeed, Keith... if we wanted to. My point being that it already has been called those other names. Although with hundreds of new planets being discovered on a regular basis, I expect a Planet Keith will be named some day.
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hidetheelephants
5,589 posts
62 months
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Einion Yrth said: Eric Mc said: Whch we could call "Terra", La Monde", "Geos" or "Gaia" if we wanted to. Or, indeed, Keith... if we wanted to. EF knitted yoghurt brigade.
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Kawasicki
1,514 posts
104 months
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I didn't realise it WAS called the "Moon", I always call it Dekros.
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LordGrover
18,596 posts
81 months
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What do foreign johnnies call 1. our Moon and 2. other moons?
Do they use the same name/term for both?
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Kays vRS
1,502 posts
45 months
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I have the 'Button Moon' song stuck in my head now.
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Simpo Two
54,209 posts
134 months
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LordGrover said: What do foreign johnnies call 1. our Moon and 2. other moons?
Do they use the same name/term for both? It's the same as a Hoover made by Hoover, and 'hoover' as a generic term. Or Biro vs biro.
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K12beano
14,374 posts
144 months
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Simpo Two said: LordGrover said: What do foreign johnnies call 1. our Moon and 2. other moons?
Do they use the same name/term for both? It's the same as a Hoover made by Hoover, and 'hoover' as a generic term. Or Biro vs biro. What? Are you now saying the Moon was made by Mr Moon? Admittedly Mr Biro was a "Johnny Foreigner"......
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Eric Mc
67,253 posts
134 months
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LordGrover said: What do foreign johnnies call 1. our Moon and 2. other moons?
Do they use the same name/term for both? French - La Lune Italian - luna Spanish - la luna Latin - luna Ancient Greek - selene German - mond Irish/Gaelic - Gealach When they started being discovered in the 17th century, the moons of other planets were given names from classical mythology (in keeping with the names of the planets themselves) - so they are either based on Ancient Greek or Roman gods, godesses or characters associated with ancient myths and legends - Titan, Triton, Io, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos etc. Because these are "classical" names they are used by everybody, no matter what their modern language is.
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LordGrover
18,596 posts
81 months
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Eric Mc said: French - La Lune
Italian - luna
Spanish - la luna
Latin - luna
Ancient Greek - selene
German - mond
Irish/Gaelic - Gealach
When they started being discovered in the 17th century, thes moons of other planets were given names from classical mythology - so they are either based on Ancient Greek or Roman gods, godesses or characters associated with ancient myths and legends - Titan, Triton, Io, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos etc.
Because these are "classical" names they are used by everybody, no matter what their modern language is. Ta. But do the Spanish, for example, refer to io as 'la luna' of Jupiter or do they have another 'generic' term for what we call moons in English?
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K12beano
14,374 posts
144 months
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LordGrover said: Ta.
But do the Spanish, for example, refer to io as 'la luna' of Jupiter or do they have another 'generic' term for what we call moons in English? You mean does a satellite to a planet get called the same as the earth's satellite: moon, Moon, or have a different word? As far as I understand italian (currently studying) you would probably say "moons of XXX" "lune" and this probably goes for all romantic languages........ But no doubt someone will correct me.
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Eric Mc
67,253 posts
134 months
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LordGrover said: Eric Mc said: French - La Lune
Italian - luna
Spanish - la luna
Latin - luna
Ancient Greek - selene
German - mond
Irish/Gaelic - Gealach
When they started being discovered in the 17th century, thes moons of other planets were given names from classical mythology - so they are either based on Ancient Greek or Roman gods, godesses or characters associated with ancient myths and legends - Titan, Triton, Io, Ganymede, Callisto, Phobos, Deimos etc.
Because these are "classical" names they are used by everybody, no matter what their modern language is. Ta. But do the Spanish, for example, refer to io as 'la luna' of Jupiter or do they have another 'generic' term for what we call moons in English? Not spoken to many Spanish astronomers in Spanish but I would expect they do. Astronomers use a number of different general terms for "moons", even in English - such as "satellite" or "companion". Indeed, the word "satellite" actually means "hanger on" or "companion" in Ancient Greek.
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Simpo Two
54,209 posts
134 months
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Eric Mc said: Indeed, the word "satellite" actually means "hanger on" or "companion" in Ancient Greek. That's very true. A satellite dish is hung on one's house...
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