<p>No, there is no pattern on 1%. There are cases of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_star">double stars</a> and (allegedly) of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_planets">double planets</a>.</p>

<p>In our Solar System, Charon has a mass of 11.6% of that of Pluto.</p>

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2013-12-09T14:34:18.253Z
2013-12-09T14:34:18.253Z
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<p>I was looking at Wikipedia's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_system#Structure_and_composition">Solar system page</a>, and it says that Sun represents 99.86% of the whole solar system mass. I found that pretty huge.</p>

<p>So i calculated ratio of masses : Earth / (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a> + <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon">Moon</a>) and it's about 98.78%.</p>

<p>I did the same with Jupiter : Jupiter / (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter">Jupiter</a> + <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_%28moon%29">Io</a> + <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_%28moon%29">Europa</a> + <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganymede_%28moon%29">Ganymede</a> + <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callisto_%28moon%29">Callisto</a>) and it's about 99.97% (I ignored small satellites).</p>

<ul>
<li>Why is it such a high ratio in this 3 examples?</li>
<li>Is 1% a regular number for satellites' mass?</li>
<li>It is simple gravitation maths ?</li>
</ul>

<p>I understand that one body has to be much more massive in order to be a planet-satellite system, otherwise it's a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_planet">double planet</a> system. But I would have thought 90% would be enough.</p>

<the-moon><solar-system><earth><the-sun><natural-satellites>
Is there a pattern between the mass of a body and the mass of orbiting objects around it?
Thibault
# Is there a pattern between the mass of a body and the mass of orbiting objects around it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-09)

I was looking at Wikipedia's [Solar system page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_system#Structure_and_composition), and it says that Sun represents 99.86% of the whole solar system mass. I found that pretty huge.

So i calculated ratio of masses : Earth / ([Earth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth) + [Moon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon)) and it's about 98.78%.

I did the same with Jupiter : Jupiter / ([Jupiter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter) + [Io](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Io_%28moon%29) + [Europa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_%28moon%29) + [Ganymede](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganymede_%28moon%29) + [Callisto](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callisto_%28moon%29)) and it's about 99.97% (I ignored small satellites).

* Why is it such a high ratio in this 3 examples?
* Is 1% a regular number for satellites' mass?
* It is simple gravitation maths ?

I understand that one body has to be much more massive in order to be a planet-satellite system, otherwise it's a [double planet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_planet) system. But I would have thought 90% would be enough.

**Tags:** the-moon, solar-system, earth, the-sun, natural-satellites


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-12-09. Score: 7

No, there is no pattern on 1%. There are cases of [double stars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_star) and (allegedly) of [double planets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_planets).

In our Solar System, Charon has a mass of 11.6% of that of Pluto.


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