‘Quasi’ Moon Discovered Orbiting Earth

VOA news ^ | 6-16-16 | unattributed

[fso301]

So make up your mind! I’ve never heard of the criteria that it has to be X distance to be a “moon”. If it is in a stable orbit around Earth, then it is a moon.

I think what they are saying is that this rock came into an earth orbit and will continue to be in an earth orbit for some time to come until gravitational effects of future planetary alignments become such that the rock is freed from earth's influence and continues its journey through space.

[bk1000]

“If it is in a stable orbit around Earth, then it is a moon.”

Doesn’t the size effect it’s status as moon? I thought they bumped Pluto for being too small to be a legitimate planet.

[smokingfrog]

What’s it’s composition?

Space stuff

[themidnightskulker]

For the WIN!!!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks smokingfrog, extra to APoD.

[mrsmith]

No one wants to say.

I guess Brawndo Corp has found out it has electrolytes and is keeping it secret...

[Seruzawa]

If it’s in orbit it’s a satellite. What do they teach in college these days?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks smokingfrog.

the Cruithne keyword:

• Earth's other 'moon' and its crazy orbit could reveal mysteries of the solar system [02/26/2015 6:29:41 AM PST]
• Asteroid may have killed dinosaurs quicker than scientists thought [02/10/2013 5:50:15 PM PST]
• Mystery Mini Moons: How Many Does Earth Have? [02/10/2013 2:09:02 PM PST]
• Earth Must Have Another Moon, Say Astronomers [12/22/2011 7:05:56 AM PST]
• Asteroid 2005 YU55 to Approach Earth on November 8, 2011.. [03/25/2011 9:39:33 AM PDT]
• In the shadow of the Moon [08/31/2004 8:42:25 AM PDT]
• Probe To 'Look Inside' Asteroids [07/28/2004 8:22:08 AM PDT]
• Say hello to our new moon [03/29/2004 12:13:58 PM PST]
• Reworked images reveal hot Venus [01/14/2004 5:25:16 PM PST]
• ODD ASTEROID [04/15/2003 2:06:02 PM PDT]
• Cat-And-Mouse Asteroid Pulls Close To Earth [01/04/2003 10:12:20 AM PST]
• Earth's Little Brother Found [10/21/2002 2:37:19 PM PDT]
• There and Back Again: Apollo 12 part spotted? [09/12/2002 8:40:11 AM PDT]

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2016 HO3, as the asteroid is called, is at least 40 meters across and could be larger, up to 100 meters... "Since 2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the sun, we refer to it as a quasi-satellite of Earth," said Paul Chodas... "One other asteroid -- 2003 YN107 -- followed a similar orbital pattern for a while over 10 years ago, but it has since departed our vicinity. This new asteroid is much more locked onto us. Our calculations indicate 2016 HO3 has been a stable quasi-satellite of Earth for almost a century, and it will continue to follow this pattern as Earth's companion for centuries to come."

the Cruithne/FR search hits:

• Earth's other 'moon' and its crazy orbit could reveal mysteries of the ...
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Potentially Habitable Moons
• Hunting for Minimoons Orbiting Earth
• Strange Things in the Sky
• Asteroid may have killed dinosaurs quicker than scientists thought
• Mystery Mini Moons: How Many Does Earth Have?
• Earth Must Have Another Moon, Say Astronomers
• Study: Earth shares its orbit with tiny asteroid
• Who Needs a Moon?
• White House Adviser: US Must Prepare for Asteroid
• Gotcha! Jupiter Turned Comet into a Moon
• Earth's "Other Moon"
• Moon And Rain Could Mean Quakes
• The celestial fraud
• Catastrophism
• Planet X, 1841-1992 - Replies
• THE REDNECK PROBLEM
• In the shadow of the Moon
• Probe To 'Look Inside' Asteroids
• Space 'Triumphs' (Mars in another light)
• Reworked images reveal hot Venus
• Hubble Spots Two Tiny Uranian Moons
• ODD ASTEROID
• Odds against Earth-like planets
• Cat-And-Mouse Asteroid Pulls Close To Earth
• Cat-and-mouse asteroid nears Earth
• (October 28, 2002) How We Loved The Romans (Scotland Celts)
• Asteroid 'Hit Northern Russia'
• There and Back Again: Apollo 12 part spotted?
• New 'Moon' Found Around Earth
• Astronomy Picture of the Day 5-04-02
• Genetic Survey Reveals Hidden Celts Of England

[Yashcheritsiy]

Can we mine it?

[Boogieman]

“If it is in a stable orbit around Earth, then it is a moon.”

It could orbit us for centuries and not be in a truly stable orbit though. If it’s eventually going to fly off elsewhere, then the orbit isn’t stable, even if it takes centuries before we fling it off.

[equaviator]

I identify as the owner of it, so no. No mining allowed!

[Boogieman]

A planet drawing smaller bodies into orbit around itself IS a way of clearing its orbit of smaller bodies. If the body is now orbiting the planet, then it is no longer in the same orbit as the planet, which is orbiting the sun.

[VanDeKoik]

Well technically the moon is receding from Earth and will one day do the same too.

[Political Junkie Too]

That explains why my horoscope is always wrong.

-PJ

[dangus]

The real reason they demoted Pluto is that they had for decades denied that there was a tenth planet. Then they found one, that they should’ve found decades earlier. So they redefined planet so they wouldn’t have to ‘fess up to their mistakes.

Eris is almost the same size as Pluto; its radius is only 2% smaller, and its mass may even be greater. Eris in January, 2005, but not announced until July, 2005, after a Spanish team announced the discovery of Haumea eight months after it was discovered by Americans.

[smokingfrog]

good one

[Bratch]

It's a stealth ad campaign by 20th Century Fox.

[dangus]

Reading other articles, I think the poorly worded statement didn’t mean that it was further than some maximum distance which defined what was too far to be a moon, but only that because it was so distant, it didn’t orbit the Earth as a true moon would.

The asteroid is too far to orbit the earth in a constant ellipse, like a moon would. Rather, it’s bobbing and weaving in a highly erratic pattern that’s stable enough to hold for centuries, but not millions or years.

You want crazy, read about Trojan satellites!

[PeteePie]

That’s no MOON.

[Pining_4_TX]

Are they sure it isn’t Rosie O’Donnell or Michael Moore?