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Jugales OP t1_jba9l32 wrote

Reply to comment by disneyvacafacts in TIL the largest moon in our solar system, Ganymede, is larger than the planet of Mercury by Jugales

Our solar system is named Solar System :)

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SuperSimpleSam t1_jbajxme wrote

Because our sun is named Sol (or Helios).

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disneyvacafacts t1_jbapowu wrote

Right, but our Sun is the only one. They are referred to as Stars in other Extrasolar Planetary Systems.

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disneyvacafacts t1_jbap4yd wrote

Right, but our solar system is the only one. All other groups of planets revolving Suns are called Extrasolar Planetary Systems not Solar Systems.

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herbw t1_jbau9mt wrote

Not so. Other stars can have their own solar systems. & the phrase can be more widely used than you imagine.

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disneyvacafacts t1_jbb0ljb wrote

No, it's only used in scholarly papers to refer to our planet system.

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dusto65 t1_jbb9h9x wrote

SOL-ar. We get the word solar from Sol. Using that logic, any other planetary system would be a star-ar system. Colloquially, sure, since we all get what you're saying, but to scientists, who love to "achtchually.." people, they need to be very technically correct

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herbw t1_jbdobz4 wrote

Not really. You fail to see the bigger picture, Most All our knowledge is highly incomplete. We are not limited by too tight definitions and beliefs, either. Empirical, logical, practical, testing, checking always learning, growing, developing. That's what we do.

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