Michigan skywatchers flip eyes to Earth’s new ‘quasi moon’

• Astronomers found a small asteroid, 2025 PN7, orbiting close to Earth
• The asteroid, first noticed by Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS observatory, has possible adopted this path for about 60 years
• At magnitude 26, 2025 PN7 is much too dim to see with out highly effective telescopes and poses no hazard to Earth

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A faint asteroid found in August has joined Earth’s orbiting neighborhood, touring alongside our planet and behaving like a second moon.

Earth has just one moon, which is about 239,000 miles away. But astronomers just lately found asteroid 2025 PN7, often known as a “quasi moon.” 

The Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii first detected the article in August. It was later reported to the Minor Planet Center, which tracks and names new celestial our bodies, and designated as 2025 PN7.

Asteroid 2025 PN7 is a faint, comparatively small area rock — about 60 ft in diameter — that appears to circle Earth, according to EarthSky.

Scientists suppose it could be a fraction ejected from the moon. The object has possible adopted this quasi-moon orbit for roughly 60 years and is anticipated to stay close by for about one other six many years earlier than transferring away.

Over time, asteroid 2025 PN7’s path adjustments. It shifts between what scientists name a “horseshoe orbit” and its present “quasi-moon” state — and it’ll ultimately swap again once more.

A horseshoe orbit continues to be an orbit across the solar, however from Earth’s viewpoint, it appears to be like just like the asteroid is tracing a horseshoe form within the sky. That means 2025 PN7 will appear to method Earth from behind, decelerate, flip round, after which transfer forward of us earlier than repeating the cycle.

Does Earth have two moons?

Quasi moons behave considerably like Earth’s moon as a result of they seem to orbit our planet, however they’re truly asteroids that circle the solar alongside an identical path, in line with The Planetary Society. 

The newly found asteroid is one in every of seven confirmed quasi moons, in line with the Planetary Society. 

How to see Asteroid 2025 PN7

The asteroid has an official brightness rating of magnitude 26, which suggests it may possibly solely be seen with highly effective telescopes. By comparability, most stars seen to the bare eye are magnitude 6 or brighter, whereas Sirius, one of many brightest stars, has a magnitude of about -1.5.

Asteroid 2025 PN7 is simply too small to see to the bare eye however could also be noticed utilizing specialised gear present in observatories.

There are a number of in Michigan together with: 

There are additionally several astronomy clubs throughout the state. 

This article first appeared on Bridge Michigan and is republished right here underneath a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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