<p>This question has been <a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/10845/is-there-a-term-to-refer-to-a-planet-and-its-accompanying-moons-as-a-whole-colle">asked before</a> on the Space Exploration page.</p>
<p>In summary, the term used is <em>system</em>, e.g. the 'Jupiter system'.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-21T15:25:56.367Z
While "<insert name of planet> system" is correct.  I thought I'd comment that it *seems* like "planetary system" should be a valid name when the planet name is generic.  Sadly no... a "planetary system" is a "solar system" for stars other than our own.  "Solar system" (upper or lower case) is only supposed to refer to our own star -- a definition from an era when we were the only known solar system.  So "planetary system" was used to refer to all the *other* "solar systems".  Confusing?  You bet!  I think there's probably room for improving those definitions.
Tim Campbell
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-21T16:57:58.270Z
The term 'stellar system' exists as analogy to solar system - but is not in as wide use as system (general with or without planets) or planetary system (star or stars with at least a planet in it).
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-21T14:30:24.257Z
2020-09-21T14:30:24.257Z
christopherlovell
<p>I'm wondering if there's a name that encapsulates the concept of a planet and the objects that orbit in its gravity. There's a <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/7955/the-defintion-of-star-planetary-solar-system">solar system</a> that encapsulates a star and its multiple planets and other objects, but I don't think that &quot;solar system&quot; describes the Earth and its moon, or Jupiter and it's many moons, for example.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-23T04:06:56.667Z
This question may be relevant to you [The defintion of star/planetary/solar system](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/7955/the-defintion-of-star-planetary-solar-system)
lordparthurnaax
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-23T12:48:50.753Z
I'm voting to leave open. In that post, a planetary system is defined to be a stellar system without a star. That is different from what is being asked in this question which asks about a term that encompasses a planet and its system of satellites (by analogy with a stellar system that encompasses a star and its system of planets).
usernumber
<planet><natural-satellites><naming>
Is there a name for a planet and its moons/satellites?
Edward Loveall
# Is there a name for a planet and its moons/satellites?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-21)

I'm wondering if there's a name that encapsulates the concept of a planet and the objects that orbit in its gravity. There's a [solar system](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/7955/the-defintion-of-star-planetary-solar-system) that encapsulates a star and its multiple planets and other objects, but I don't think that "solar system" describes the Earth and its moon, or Jupiter and it's many moons, for example.

**Tags:** planet, natural-satellites, naming

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This question may be relevant to you [The defintion of star/planetary/solar system](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/7955/the-defintion-of-star-planetary-solar-system)  
> **username_2**: I'm voting to leave open. In that post, a planetary system is defined to be a stellar system without a star. That is different from what is being asked in this question which asks about a term that encompasses a planet and its system of satellites (by analogy with a stellar system that encompasses a star and its system of planets).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-09-21. Score: 13 | Accepted answer

This question has been [asked before](https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/10845/is-there-a-term-to-refer-to-a-planet-and-its-accompanying-moons-as-a-whole-colle) on the Space Exploration page.

In summary, the term used is *system*, e.g. the 'Jupiter system'.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: While "<insert name of planet> system" is correct.  I thought I'd comment that it *seems* like "planetary system" should be a valid name when the planet name is generic.  Sadly no... a "planetary system" is a "solar system" for stars other than our own.  "Solar system" (upper or lower case) is only supposed to refer to our own star -- a definition from an era when we were the only known solar system.  So "planetary system" was used to refer to all the *other* "solar systems".  Confusing?  You bet!  I think there's probably room for improving those definitions.  
> **username_5**: The term 'stellar system' exists as analogy to solar system - but is not in as wide use as system (general with or without planets) or planetary system (star or stars with at least a planet in it).  

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