20.07.

2016

NASAfindsthattheearthhasanewminimoonQuartz

HOLD ME CLOSE

NASA nds that the earth has a

new mini moon
Ananya Bhattacharya

June 21, 2016

Gravitational attraction (NASA)

An asteroid has been by Earths side for around 100 yearsand its here to stay for a while longer.
Sized between 120 feet and 300 feet, the quasi-satellite named Asteroid 2016 HO3 was rst discovered on
April 27, 2016, by the Pan-STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope in Hawaii. Nicknamed mini moon, the
asteroid technically moves relative to the sun, but it seems to be playing around the earths orbit, too.
The rock has been doing a slow back-and-forth twist over decades. Half the time, its orbit takes it in front
of the earth, closer to the sun. Other times, it jumps behind the earth, farther away from the star. Its
orbit is also tilted a little, causing it to bob up and then down once each year through Earths orbital
plane. In effect, this small asteroid is caught in a game of leap frog with Earth that will last for hundreds
of years, NASA explains.

Asteroid 2016 HO3 - Earth's Constant Companion

http://qz.com/712457/nasafindsthattheearthhasanewminimoon/

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20.07.2016

NASAfindsthattheearthhasanewminimoonQuartz

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This rock is stable and poses no threat to our planet. The reason it is not considered an actual satellite,
but a quasi-satellite is that it is too far from Earthit doesnt get much closer than about 38 times the
distance of the moon. However, Earths gravity keeps tugging at it so it doesnt wander astray either. The
asteroids loops around Earth drift a little ahead or behind from year to year, but when they drift too far
forward or backward, Earths gravity is just strong enough to reverse the drift and hold onto the asteroid
so that it never wanders farther away than about 100 times the distance of the moon, said Paul Chodas,
manager of NASAs Center for Near-Earth Object. In effect, this small asteroid is caught in a little dance
with Earth.
This isnt the rst time an asteroid has latched onto the earths orbit. Over 10 years ago, asteroid 2003
YN107 followed a similar orbital pattern for a much shorter time, and it has since left Earths vicinity. This
mini moon seems to be a lot more committed to sticking around. This new asteroid is much more locked
onto us, he said, predicting that it will continue to follow this pattern as Earths companion for
centuries to come.

http://qz.com/712457/nasafindsthattheearthhasanewminimoon/

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