Scientists reveal Earth has a new “moon” that will stay with us for at least another 1500 years
Scientists reveal Earth has a new “moon” that will stay with us for at least another 1500 years
A recent study has unveiled that Earth possesses a new moon or rather a ‘quasi-moon’. A quasi-moon refers to a space rock that orbits the Earth but is gravitationally tied to the sun. This quasi-moon, named 2023 FW13, was identified by experts utilizing the Pan-STARRS telescope situated atop Hawaii’s Haleakala volcano. It is among the few known quasi-moons or satellites that we know of in our solar system.
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Scientists believe that this ancient cosmic companion has been in close proximity to Earth since 100 BC and will continue its orbit around our planet for at least another 1,500 years, until AD 3700. Fortunately, both 2023 FW13 and a similar quasi-moon called 469219 Kamoʻoalewa are not considered to pose any threat to human life.
What are quasi-satellites?
Quasi-moons, also referred to as ‘quasi-satellites’, often exhibit an orbital pattern that resembles our natural satellite, the moon (affectionately known as ‘Luna’). However, the prefix ‘quasi’ is utilized because these objects are gravitationally bound to the sun rather than Earth, unlike Luna, where Earth’s gravity prevails.
2023 FW13 stands apart from our moon as it orbits well beyond Earth’s ‘Hill sphere’, which defines the region around a celestial body where its own gravitational force dominates in attracting satellites. Earth’s Hill sphere has a radius of 932,000 miles (1.5 million km), whereas the distance between Earth and 2023 FW13 is significantly larger, approximately 1.6 million miles.
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Alan Harris, a senior research scientist at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, explained to Sky & Telescope that the scale of the loop, with a radius of about 0.18 astronomical units, is so immense that Earth plays a negligible role in the motion of 2023 FW13. He emphasized that “[2023 FW13 is] in no way associated with Earth other than by chance.”
How was the most recent quasi-moon, 2023 FW13 discovered?
On March 28, the PanSTARRS telescope initially detected 2023 FW13 before its existence was verified by multiple other telescopes. Once confirmed, 2023 FW13 was included in the catalogue of the Minor Planet Center at the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
While the precise size of 2023 FW13 remains uncertain, asteroid specialist Richard Binzel estimates its diameter to be around 30 to 50 feet (10 to 15 meters). This dimension is merely a minuscule fraction compared to the moon, which spans 2,159 miles.
What makes 2023 FW13 qualify as a moon?
It’s worth noting that a celestial body is classified as a moon-based on its orbital characteristics rather than its size.
The orbit of 2023 FW13 around the sun takes nearly the same amount of time as Earth, approximately 365.42 days (equivalent to 1.0005 Earth years). During its orbital journey around Earth, its path is highly elongated, extending halfway towards Mars and inward halfway towards Venus.
Earth has various recognized cosmic companions, with many being quasi-satellites. However, as exemplified by 2023 FW13, there are likely numerous others yet to be discovered. Quasi-satellites typically follow a stable trajectory around Earth for several decades before eventually departing from the planet’s orbit.
2023 FW13 holds a unique distinction as it has remained in its quasi-state for centuries and is projected to continue in this state for many more centuries, according to amateur astronomer Tony Dunn. Dunn has developed an online simulator that displays the orbit of 2023 FW13 in relation to the moon, the sun, and other planets within the solar system.
Earth’s other famous quasi-satellite
Another well-known quasi-satellite, named 469219 Kamoʻoalewa or 2016 HO3, was also discovered by PanSTARRS in April 2016. This quasi-satellite has a diameter of up to 330 feet and is expected to remain in its current orbit for approximately 300 years in the future, as suggested by Renu Malhotra, an expert from the University of Arizona.
Malhotra recently conducted a study proposing that 469219 Kamoʻoalewa could be an ancient fragment of our moon. The analysis of the light reflected from this space rock indicates that it is composed of the same materials found in lunar rocks collected during NASA’s Apollo missions.
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