"An exomoon or extrasolar moon is a natural satellite that orbits an exoplanet or other non-stellar extrasolar body."
Study of exoplanet-moon systems, including their formation, dynamics, and potential for habitability.
Planet and Moon Formation: The study of how planets and moons form, including the different types of astrophysical environments and their effects on formation.
Exoplanet Detection Techniques: The various methods used to discover exoplanets, such as the radial velocity method, transit method, direct imaging, and microlensing.
Exoplanet Characteristics: The physical properties that describe exoplanets, including size, mass, density, composition, and atmosphere.
Orbital Dynamics: The mathematical principles that govern the motion of celestial bodies, including Kepler's laws and the interactions between planets and their moons.
Habitable Zones: The distance from a star where an exoplanet may have conditions suitable for life, including the concept of a habitable zone and potential biosignatures.
Exomoon Detection Techniques: The innovative methods used to discover exomoons, such as transit timing variations or the disruption of transit events by moons.
Moon Characteristics: The physical properties that describe moons, including size, mass, density, composition, and atmosphere.
Habitability of Exomoons: The conditions required for a moon to possibly support life or to be habitable, including its environment, composition, and stability.
Exoplanetary Atmospheres: The study of the atmosphere of exoplanets, including detection techniques, composition, temperature, and stability.
Exomoon Atmospheres: The study of the atmosphere of exomoons, including detection techniques, composition, temperature, and stability.
Climate of Exoplanets and Moons: The study of the weather patterns and climate cycles that affect exoplanets and moons, including their impact on the potential for life.
Exoplanetary Systems: The study of the structures and dynamics of exoplanetary systems, including multiple planet systems, planetary rings, and binary star systems.
Exomoon Systems: The study of the structures and dynamics of exomoon systems, including multiple moon systems, moon rings, and binary planet systems.
Planetary Migration and Resonances: The study of the movement and interactions of planets due to significant gravitational effects, including resonances, interactions with planetesimal disks, and the impact of stellar kicks.
Planet-star Interactions: The study of the interactions between exoplanets and their host stars, including magnetic fields, radiation effects, and stellar winds.
Single Exomoon System: This system consists of a single exoplanet accompanied by only one moon.
Multiple Exomoon System: This system comprises a single exoplanet with two or more moons.
Hot Jupiter with Exomoon: In this system, a gas giant exoplanet, like Jupiter, is accompanied by one or more moons, and orbits very closely around its star which makes it extremely hot.
Earth-Like Exomoon: This system comprises an exoplanet with a moon that has characteristics similar to Earth, like having liquid water or a suitable atmosphere.
Rogue Planet with Exomoon: This system consists of a rogue planet that doesn’t orbit any star, but has a moon orbiting around it.
Trojan Exomoon System: In this system, the exomoon orbits in the same orbit as the exoplanet, but at a stable position known as Lagrange points - this is known as a Trojan moon.
Highly Inclined Exomoon System: In this system, the orbit of the exomoon is inclined at a significant angle to the equatorial plane of the exoplanet.
Circumbinary Exomoon: This system consists of a planet that orbits around a binary star system and has a moon that orbits around it.
Tidally Locked Exomoon System: In this system, the exomoon is tidally locked with the planet it is orbiting, meaning one face of the moon always faces the planet.
"Exomoons are difficult to detect and confirm using current techniques."
"To date there have been no confirmed exomoon detections."
"Observations from missions such as Kepler have observed a number of candidates, in particular around Kepler-1625b, Kepler-1708b, and Kepler-1513b."
"Two potential exomoons that may orbit rogue planets have also been detected by microlensing."
"In September 2019, astronomers reported that the observed dimmings of Tabby's Star may have been produced by fragments resulting from the disruption of an orphaned exomoon."
"Some exomoons may be potential habitats for extraterrestrial life."