Earth's 'second moon' is just visiting its cosmic parents for Thanksgiving

[Admin]

The asteroid 2024 PT5 will leave Earth on Nov. 25 after visiting Earth, but new analysis shows this temporary "second moon" may come from our original moon and, thus, from Earth itself.

Earth's 'second moon' is just visiting its cosmic parents for Thanksgiving : Read more

 

[Homer10]

This click bait has been around for a few months now. The reality: At any one time, the Earth has between 12-15 mini moons (possible more we don't know about). Some of these objects come and go. Others are always around. The largest of these small moons is over 900 feet in diameter. Nothing new here.

 

[Classical Motion]

What do we call an object that has a co-orbit with earth?

 

[Homer10]

What do we call an object that has a co-orbit with earth?

They are called NEOs. Near Earth Objects.

 

[Classical Motion]

Thanks, do you mean like Trojan objects?

 

[Homer10]

Thanks, do you mean like Trojan objects?

Yes, and NEOs (Near Earth Orbits), and DSOs Deep Space Objects, old rocket hardware (2nd, and 3rd stages), junk spacecraft, Useful spacecraft, and all manor of other objects out there. There are thousands of natural objects, and tens of thousands of man made objects.

 

[Classical Motion]

Thank you. I didn’t think about trogans til after I asked. The trogans are in phase with earth’s orbit.

With the way gravity is explained, anything in the same orbit would be in phase with earth’s orbit. Like trogans. Or L points.

Unless the orbit had a different time of inclination. The same velocities, same distance, but different times of inclinations of orbit. The same inclination angle, but out of phase with earth’s inclination.

One of the two inclinations would probably pro-grade the other, after many rotations.

Come to think of it, how else could two objects at same distance, same velocity be out of phase?

Described with a special term. I’m not an astronomer.

Just some supposition. Maybe no such things exist.

 

[George²]

With so many amateur and professional telescopes available, including a few outside the atmosphere, has anyone been able to get a good picture of this much-news-covered asteroid?