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Earth briefly had a mini-moon, a small asteroid called 2020 CD3, in orbit for several years before breaking free in March 2020. It was only the second temporary moon ever observed. Another object, 2020 SW, is expected to enter Earth’s orbit and stay until May 2021. 2020 SO, classified as an Apollo asteroid, is likely space junk made by humans.
For a brief moment, Earth’s moon had some companionship in its solitary existence, in the form of a space rock temporarily caught in Earth’s orbit. Although not discovered by astronomers until February 2020, the mini-moon (most likely a small asteroid) had already been gravitationally bound to Earth for several years.
Astronomers have given the “temporarily captured object” the designation 2020 CD3. The so-called mini-moon, about the size of a small car, was only the second temporary moon that scientists had ever observed. 2006 RH130 visited in 2006 and 2007 before departing for parts unknown.
And the 2020 CD3 has already gone the same way. Scientists believe it broke free of Earth’s gravitational pull in March and is currently in the process of entering the Sun’s orbit.
Goodbye, mini-moon:
The recently deceased 2020 CD 3 circled the Earth about once every 47 days in a wide, oval-shaped orbit.
Astronomers say a new object, which they call 2020 SW, will soon head into our orbit and is expected to hang around until May 2021.
Unlike the other two mini-moons, 2020 SO is classified as an Apollo asteroid, a class of bodies familiar with Earth’s orbit. Scientists say its characteristics are consistent with something made by humans, likely a piece of space junk.
