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The Earth has a new moon
Yahoo • • 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 before escaping in 2027.
- First observed by Hungarian astronomer Kriztián Sárneczky in August, the asteroid completes roughly one and a half orbits around Earth during its temporary capture.
- The asteroid orbits the Sun every 359 days and approaches Earth closely about every 10 years, with its closest distance during this orbit being approximately 568,000 kilometers, posing no threat to Earth.
- Studies suggest Earth may have up to six temporary mini-moons at any time, some potentially originating from lunar debris caused by impacts on the Moon, such as the quasi-satellite Kamoʻoalewa.
- Understanding these mini-moons and their origins is important for insights into near-Earth objects (NEOs), satellite formation, and assessing potential hazards to Earth.
