in February 2020, Astronomers from the Catalina Sky Survey announced theyād found a second natural satellite orbiting the Earth. It looks like our planet and its long-standing partner Luna have decided to explore polyamory.
The newcomer is a small asteroid that was apparently snagged in the Earthās orbit where it now exists as a temporary āmini-moon.ā Scientists discovered the new moon last week but wanted to confirm that it wasnāt an artificial satellite or random space junk. It may still turn out that the satellite is artificial but all indications so far indicate itās the real deal.
The Catalina team revealed the information in a tweet featuring an accompanying video showing Earthās new follower making its way around us.Ā
In a tweet, one said: “Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3. On the night of Feb. 15, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Teddy Pruyne and I found a 20th magnitude object”
According to the astronomers, the Earthās new companion has an erratic orbit but thereās little cause for concern: itās only about the size of a compact car.
These events are rare, but this isnāt the first time Earthās managed to attract another moon. Scientists discovered another one 14 years ago and itās logical to assume such events have occurred for as long as the Earthās been around.
Earthās dalliances with other moons are also temporary. Within a matter of months, the new moon will break free of the Earthās grip and bid us all a fond farewell as it hurtles off into space to continue boldly going wherever asteroids go.
Aside from the cool factor of knowing weāre currently living on a planet with two moons (Martians: you arenāt so special anymore now), the occurrence also represents an opportunity for scientists to study asteroids and how they interact with planet-sized bodies up close.
Also, it was revealed by a computer model that attempted to figure why the side of the moon that faces Earth is relatively low and flat and the one that faces away has a much thicker crust. The model suggests that there was once a “companion moon” that collided with the far side of our current moon.
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