Post by stargazer on Nov 14, 2004 20:41:01 GMT -6
I came across this and wanted to share it with you.Ihave been wathing this for some time. Well heres the info
'Second moon' for Earth is really asteroid
Dan Kincaid
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 2, 2004 12:00 AM
QUESTION: What is Earth's so-called second moon?
ANSWER: An asteroid named Cruithne is sometimes referred to as Earth's second moon, although this epithet is not really accurate. Some stargazers call it Earth's sister.
Discovered in 1986, Cruithne is a "Near-Earth Asteroid" about 3 miles across. It's also known as Asteroid 3753, or 1986 TO. Astronomers say it is not a true moon of Earth because it is not gravitationally bound to the planet. Rather, it is locked into a state of "1:1 resonance" with Earth, which means it makes one trip around the sun for each trip the Earth makes.
Although it is actually orbiting the sun, from the Earth it seems to move in a horseshoe-shaped path around us. Because of the geometry of its orbit, it never comes closer to Earth than about 40 times the distance of our real moon.
Since Cruithne's discovery, other asteroids have been detected that are in resonance with the Earth.
One possible candidate for an Earth-resonant asteroid, a "third moon," turned out to be a spent rocket booster.
'Second moon' for Earth is really asteroid
Dan Kincaid
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 2, 2004 12:00 AM
QUESTION: What is Earth's so-called second moon?
ANSWER: An asteroid named Cruithne is sometimes referred to as Earth's second moon, although this epithet is not really accurate. Some stargazers call it Earth's sister.
Discovered in 1986, Cruithne is a "Near-Earth Asteroid" about 3 miles across. It's also known as Asteroid 3753, or 1986 TO. Astronomers say it is not a true moon of Earth because it is not gravitationally bound to the planet. Rather, it is locked into a state of "1:1 resonance" with Earth, which means it makes one trip around the sun for each trip the Earth makes.
Although it is actually orbiting the sun, from the Earth it seems to move in a horseshoe-shaped path around us. Because of the geometry of its orbit, it never comes closer to Earth than about 40 times the distance of our real moon.
Since Cruithne's discovery, other asteroids have been detected that are in resonance with the Earth.
One possible candidate for an Earth-resonant asteroid, a "third moon," turned out to be a spent rocket booster.