Say hello to our new moon

AFP ^ | Fri Mar 26, 2004

[presidio9]

Earth has acquired a "quasi-moon" -- an asteroid that will encircle our planet for the next couple of years while it orbits the sun on a horseshoe-shaped path, according to a report to be published on Saturday in New Scientist.

The asteroid, 2003 YN17, "is probably a chunk of debris" from an impact between a larger space rock and the surface of the moon, the British weekly says.

2003 YN17's orbital plane is roughly the same as the earth's, but its unusual path, compounded by a corkscrew-like track, means that sometimes it is ahead of us and sometimes it is behind.

"Since 1996, its path has taken it round the earth, making it a quasi-satellite. This phase will last until 2006," the report says.

The finders are a team led by Paul Chodas, an asteroid specialist at NASA (news - web sites)'s famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Two other "quasi-moons" -- temporary fellow-travellers that loop around the earth for while as they girdle the sun -- have been spotted in recent years: Cluithne and asteroid 2002 AA29.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Rev. Sun Myung 2003 YN17

[hellinahandcart]

Shine on, shine on, Harvest 2003 YN17
Up in the sky
I ain't had no lovin' since
January, February, June and July.

Snow time ain't no time to
Stay outdoors and spoon,
So shine one, shine on Harvest 2003 YN17
For me and my gal....

[Salamander]

Even a man who's pure of heart
And says his prayers by night
Can become a wolf when the Wolfbane blooms
And the autumn 2003 YN17 is bright

[pax_et_bonum]

I go out walkin' after midnight,
out in the 2003 YN17 light,
just hopin' you may be
somewhere a walkin' after midnight searchin' for me

[Hollywoodghost]

We Got to give this thing a real name. How about Reagania?

[hellinahandcart]

Say it's only a paper 2003 YN17
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me

[hellinahandcart]

How about Reagania?

The hell you say.

It's leaving us in two years, so let's call it Hillary.

[general_re]

2003 YN17s Over My Hammy

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

...means that sometimes it is ahead of us and sometimes it is behind.

So, it's an asteroid when it's behind us and a headeroid when it's ahead of us?

No. That means it's a Kerryoid. It can't make up its mind on what position it wants to take.

[jongaltsr]

And you forgot the obvious.
If it lands at either the north pole or the south pole it would end up being a polaroid.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"Oh, 2003 YN17 of Alabama,
We now must say goodbye.
We lost or good ol' Mama,
And must have whiskey, oh, you now why."

[Thinkin' Gal]

2003 YN17 walking

[humblegunner]

I'm Sailor 2003 YN17!

[RightWhale]

LOL

[Lancey Howard]

Why does this rock look so smooth, like a stone?

[skinkinthegrass]

Everyone's gone to the 2003 YN17

Awfully small...LOL!...Tommie Edwards bump

[NYC GOP Chick]

It's leaving us in two years, so let's call it Hillary.

From your lips to G-d's ears! I'm almost tempted to rewrite the lyrics to "Imagine"...

[Khurkris]

2003 YN17 Bay, California

[Khurkris]

...I got nothin'...

[aculeus]

This is one of the funniest threads I've seen in a long while.