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Earth has captured a new mini moon
The Independent • • science
Key Points:
- Asteroid 2026 QQ8, a small "mini-moon" about 2 meters in diameter, was captured by Earth's gravity in April and is currently orbiting the planet, expected to complete one and a half revolutions before escaping in 2027.
- First detected by Hungarian astronomer Kriztián Sárneczky in August, the asteroid usually orbits the Sun every 359 days and approaches Earth roughly every 10 years.
- During its orbit around Earth, 2026 QQ8 will come no closer than 568,000 kilometers, posing no threat as it would likely burn up in the atmosphere if on a collision course.
- Studies suggest Earth may have up to six temporary mini-moons at any time, some possibly originating from lunar fragments ejected by impacts, such as the quasi-satellite Kamoʻoalewa discovered in 2016.
- Understanding these mini-moons and near-Earth objects (NEOs) is important for insights into the formation of planetary satellites and assessing potential hazards to Earth.
