We have had a cosmic travel companion and we have not found out until recently.
The discoveries of celestial objects are usually the daily bread for astronomers around the world, although on this occasion, according to the Space media, it seems that we are facing news of great importance. We are talking about discovery of a quasi-moonthat is, of a rocky body that follows a Earth-like trajectory, accompanying it on its way around the Sun. Similarities and differences with our Moon? Now we tell you.
Earth’s new moon is 2023 FW13
In the first place, it should be clarified that we are talking about an asteroid, not those branded as potentially dangerous, which has been baptized as 2023 FW13 and which has earned the name of quasi-moon or quasi-satellite. And it is that this celestial body seems to accompany our planet around the star king, but it has not just been attracted by its gravity.
The information ensures that you have a diameter of 15 meters and? It is 14 million kilometers from the earth. To make a comparison with the Moon and put some perspective, it has a diameter of 3,500 kilometers and is located at an approximate distance, at the closest point of its orbit, about 364,000 kilometers from us.
ANOTHER QUASI-MOON FOR EARTH
On March 28, a new natural satellite of the Earth was discovered. It has been called 2023 FW13 and shares the same orbital period as our planet as it revolves around it. pic.twitter.com/AvR9IXoN4L
– Recondito Universe (@UnvrsoRecondito) May 29, 2023
It has been thanks to panoramic sounding telescope and Pan-STARRS rapid response system that we have done the first observation of this miniature satellite and, according to information published in the Sky & Telescope media, its existence has also been confirmed by the Canada, France, Hawaii observatories and two observatories in Arizona, to finally end up being accepted as a member of the Minor Planet Center at the International Astronomical Union.
This cosmic rockwhich invites us to know the difference between an asteroid, a comet and a meteorite, it seems that has been with us since 100 BC and that it will continue with us, at least, until the year 3,700 AD On previous occasions we have seen similar objects, such as the so-called Kamo’oalewa, which could be a piece of the Moon that had detached, but none as large as 2023 FW13.