A Strange “Little Moon” Is On A Visit To Earth That Will Last Until The Year 2181
Our planet has a permanent relationship with the moon, but sometimes Earth's gravity can catch small asteroids, which spend a period of time orbiting us, as a kind of temporary satellites of our planet.
As an example of this phenomenon, amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov discovered the asteroid 2022 YG on December 15, which is now known to be a body "trapped" by Earth's gravity, and has been orbiting our planet like a small moon since the last century.
Interestingly, the amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov from Crimea is also known for having discovered the first known interstellar comet, now named "2I/Borisov".
Asteroid 2022 YG appears to be between 52 and 98 feet (16 to 30 meters) in diameter. Early computer models of its orbit show that it takes about a year to circle the Earth once, and that it has been doing so since some time, around 1961.
According to computer simulations of the asteroid's future, it appears as if it will continue to function as a "moon" until the year 2181, when it will finally be freed from Earth's gravity.
Orbital data visualizations for 2022 YG show it taking a strange path around our planet, stretching into an elongated ellipse in one direction, then migrating back into a more circular orbit and stretching again in the other direction before the entire cycle repeats itself.
Previous "small moons" included the asteroids 2020 CD3 and 2006 RH120, but both stayed for relatively short periods.
More observations of 2022 YG's apparent orbit are needed to see if it will truly be with us into the next century.
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