Why smaller planets are better at building large moons

[Admin]

The energy of moon-forming can have a big say in whether large or doomed smaller moons are built.

Why smaller planets are better at building large moons : Read more

 

[Unclear Engineer]

This theoretical argument doesn't seem to be consistent with what we observe in our own solar system.

Yes, Earth has a large Moon. But, Venus has no moons, and neither does Mercury. Mars has 2 small moons that seem to be captured asteroids, and may even be short-lived before coming apart, according to a recent article here on Space.com. But, the larger planets have some large moons, particularly Jupiter and Saturn.

So, by far, the largest planets in our solar system have the largest numbers of the largest moons. Earth's Moon looks like an outlier data point for our own solar system.

So. why believe simulations that predict otherwise?