[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

That's pretty weird. I'm having a little trouble picturing what's going on. A graphic would really help. But it's a real interesting store nonetheless.

[ClearCase_guy]

This particular asteroid ... never manages to pass [the Earth]
Right now ... our planet is catching up.
the asteroid ... will begin to pull ahead.

Indecisive asteroids.

[The_Victor]

I was just preparing to post this. Check out the orbit of this asteroid.

[commish]

So bsically what we have here is an Asteroid with a Restrictor Plate. It can sling shot around the earth, but can't complete the pass without a drafting partner.

[RightWhale]

This particular asteroid is the first ever found to orbit the sun in nearly the same path as Earth

There was another last year, or maybe it was the same one. Earth's second moon. Except that Cruithne is already earth's second moon, which makes this either the 3rd or the 4th moon of earth.

[WL-law]

Riddle me this -- how can the earth's gravity "repel" the asteroid -- an object with mass, BTW -- as this story states?

[Centurion2000]

Other "moons" of Earth if you are interested

Cruithne

[Poohbah]

Too bad we can't send a Space Shuttle up to nudge it onto a collision course with Yongbyong...

Yo, hchutch...

Do you think THAT would solve the problem? :o)

[lds23]

The asteroid and Earth take turns sneaking up on each other, but they never get too close.

Sounds like the "Car Acrobatic Team" from "Speed Racer"

[Jonah Hex]

...because Earth's gravity rebuffs its periodic advances and keeps it at bay," said Don Yeomans of JPL in Pasadena, California...

[whistle]

"10 yard penalty, abuse of language. Gravity doesn't push, it sucks. Second down..."

[Ditter]

The earth gravity rebuffs it & keeps it at bay? What?

[MeekOneGOP]

bttt for later read...

[MeekOneGOP]

Very interesting story. Thanks for the post...

"The combined gravitational effects of the Earth and sun will nudge the asteroid onto a slightly faster track just inside Earth's, and it will begin to pull ahead," he said.

In 95 years, the asteroid will have advanced all the way around to where it is catching up to the Earth from behind. A similar interaction with gravity from both the Earth and sun will then push the asteroid back onto a slower outside track, and the pattern will repeat.