Earth has already known to possess one natural satellite our friendly Moon but astronomers have revealed fascinating objects known as quasi-moons in the past few years that keep Earth company in a special manner. The Luna orbits Earth is firmly under its gravity, quasi-moons which take a complicated trajectory and basking in the orbit of Earth around the Sun but never being actually trapped by our planet.
What is the Quasi-Moon Phenomenon?
A quasi-moon is an asteroid or minor celestial body that follows a comparable orbital path about the Sun to that of Earth. The orbiting Earth in a direct path, a quasi-moon seems to shadow our world in a coordinated motion that keeps it close to Earth for prolonged periods.
In contrast with real moons, quasi-moons are governed mainly by the gravity of the Sun and not Earth’s, so their bond with Earth is temporary and less tight. These are unusual objects and provide researchers with a glimpse into studying intricate gravitational interactions between small bodies and planets.
ALSO READ: Will Aliens Arrive on October 29? Scientists Decode 3I/ATLAS
What is the History of Quasi-Moon
Quasi-moons are familiar to astronomers for some decades and numerous unknowns because of their minuteness and faintness. The latest one, numbered 2023 FW13 has been discovered to move in synchrony with Earth since the 1960s at least, judging by orbital records pursued by mighty telescopes. This asteroid is about 15 to 20 meters wide has traveled with Earth peacefully for more than half a century, making it one of the most stable quasi-moons ever recorded.
Why the Quasi-Moon Remained Secret?
The main reason 2023 FW13 went undetected for so long is because of its properties it is small and dark reflecting very little light from the sun, and its orbit is such that it keeps it distant enough from Earth to merge with the background of faraway stars. The most sensitive telescopes and sky surveys were not sensitive enough to detect objects this faint to reliably identify them. It was not until the arrival of newer observatories such as Pan-STARRS and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope that it is now possible to see these elusive visitors.
ALSO READ: Urban Climate Change 2025: How Cities Are Adapting to Extreme Weather| Floods & Droughts
How Does 2023 FW13 Orbit Earth?
The 2023 FW13 has a horseshoe shaped path is compared to Earth and it travel of our world, then slows down and drops behind sketching a circular route that keeps it in Earth’s cosmic neighborhood. Its range can stretch as far as 14 million kilometers beyond the Moon’s average range of roughly 384,000 kilometers. In spite of this huge difference in distance the asteroid has a synchronized orbit with our planet around the Sun and making for an interesting gravitational dance that has lasted for centuries.
What will Scientists Do Next?
Scientists in the research of quasi-moons has been increased by the discovery of 2023 FW13. Astronomers have also plan to continue tracking its orbit and those of other quasi-moons to learn about their origins, their behavior and how long they will stay close to Earth.
Such studies have not only shed light on the nature of gravitational relationships in our solar system but also contribute to learning methods to find and predict the motions of small near-Earth objects with these research efforts are important for determining possible asteroid threats and for our understanding of Earth’s continually changing cosmic surroundings.
ALSO READ: Who is Aravind Srinivas: India’s Youngest Billionaire with Rs. 21,190 Crore net worth
Disclaimer:
