<P> Because of this shift in meaning , the term moon , which had continued to be used in a generic sense in works of popular science and in fiction , has regained respectability and is now used interchangeably with natural satellite , even in scientific articles . When it is necessary to avoid both the ambiguity of confusion with Earth 's natural satellite the Moon and the natural satellites of the other planets on the one hand , and artificial satellites on the other , the term natural satellite ( using `` natural '' in a sense opposed to `` artificial '' ) is used . To further avoid ambiguity , the convention is to capitalize the word Moon when referring to Earth 's natural satellite , but not when referring to other natural satellites . </P>
<P> Because of this shift in meaning , the term moon , which had continued to be used in a generic sense in works of popular science and in fiction , has regained respectability and is now used interchangeably with natural satellite , even in scientific articles . When it is necessary to avoid both the ambiguity of confusion with Earth 's natural satellite the Moon and the natural satellites of the other planets on the one hand , and artificial satellites on the other , the term natural satellite ( using `` natural '' in a sense opposed to `` artificial '' ) is used . To further avoid ambiguity , the convention is to capitalize the word Moon when referring to Earth 's natural satellite , but not when referring to other natural satellites . </P>
what is the natural satellite of the earth
what is the natural satellite of the earth
the Moon
the Moon