US: NASA has confirmed the discovery of a small asteroid that is temporarily orbiting Earth, earning it the nickname of a ‘second moon.’ The space agency says the asteroid, known as 2025 PN7, was captured in Earth’s orbit and moves almost in sync with the planet.
The object, measuring between 18 and 36 meters across, roughly the width of a building, was discovered by astronomers at the University of Hawaii during a routine telescope survey earlier this year.
Scientists believe the asteroid has been accompanying Earth for about 60 years and is expected to continue doing so until around 2083. Unlike the Moon, which is bound to Earth by gravity, 2025 PN7 is a ‘quasi-moon’, which is a celestial body influenced by the gravitational pull of both the Earth and the Sun. At its closest, it comes within about 4 million kilometers of Earth, nearly ten times the distance to the Moon. At its farthest, it drifts as much as 17 million kilometers away.
Astronomers explain that this back-and-forth movement results from the gravitational interaction between the Sun and Earth. Such quasi-moons are naturally captured objects that orbit temporarily before escaping back into space or, in rare cases, entering Earth’s atmosphere.
So far, scientists have identified eight quasi-moons around Earth. Each offers valuable insight into the complex gravitational relationships between our planet and nearby asteroids.
While Earth’s main moon remains its dominant and permanent natural satellite, 2025 PN7 is a quiet, temporary companion that continues to intrigue scientists studying the ever-changing dynamics of near-Earth space.
