Earth just gained a cosmic sidekick: NASA confirmed asteroid 2025 PN7 as our new quasi-moon, a rare orbital companion discovered by University of Hawaii astronomers this year. This tiny rock, about 18-36 meters wide, has been looping the Sun in near-perfect sync with us for around 60 years.
Spotted during a routine survey, 2025 PN7’s path mirrors Earth’s orbit, making it appear as a distant shadow. It’ll keep pace until 2083 before drifting off, influenced by the Sun and planets’ gravity.
“2025 PN7 seems to be a quasi-satellite of the Earth for the next 60 years,” amateur astronomer Adrien Coffinet posted on the Minor Planet Mailing List.
Astronomer Carlos de la Fuente Marcos reacted, noting these quasi-moons are “full of surprises” and could reveal more about near-Earth objects.
While not a true moon, this find sharpens our orbital models and highlights accessible targets for future missions-proving our cosmic neighborhood is full of hidden gems worth watching.
Sources: NASA, Smithsonian Magazine
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