How many natural satellites does Earth have? Earth has one natural satellite: the Moon.
The Moon is Earth’s only confirmed permanently bound natural satellite. It is a large, rocky body orbiting Earth at an average distance of about 384,400 kilometers. Unlike an artificial satellite, it was not built or launched by humans; it formed naturally and has remained Earth’s companion for billions of years.
Scientists generally think the Moon formed about 4.5 billion years ago after a giant impact involving the young Earth and a Mars-sized body often called Theia. The resulting debris collected in orbit and eventually became the Moon. Its gravity drives most of Earth’s tides, while tidal interactions have gradually slowed Earth’s rotation and locked the Moon’s rotation, so nearly the same lunar hemisphere always faces us.
Earth sometimes has temporary co-orbiting asteroids or “quasi-satellites,” and small objects can briefly be captured. These do not count as additional moons because they do not maintain the Moon’s stable, conventional orbit around Earth. The capitalized name “Moon” specifically identifies Earth’s natural satellite; “moon” can also be used generically for satellites of other planets.