AI Generated Image
Earth's 'micromoon' caught on camera for first time ever
New York Post • • general
Key Points:
- Chinese researchers have captured the first close-up images of the rare “mini-moon” asteroid 2016 HO3 (Kamoʻoalewa), a quasi-satellite orbiting the sun but closely circling Earth every 45 years.
- The images were taken by the Tianwen-2 probe, part of China National Space Administration’s first asteroid sample-return mission, which approached within 12.4 miles of the asteroid after a 400-day journey.
- Kamoʻoalewa is an exceptionally rare Earth co-orbital object, about 138 to 328 feet across, with a complex terrain and a rapid spin, making sample collection challenging.
- The mission aims to conduct in-orbit observations and collect samples to return to Earth, potentially revealing the asteroid’s composition, orbital evolution, presence of water, and whether it might be lunar material.
- Tianwen-2 is equipped with hovering and anchoring capabilities to handle the difficult terrain and minimize risks during sampling, marking a significant advancement in deep-space exploration.
