KidScoop.com

Just Plain Weird

Two Moons?

NASA says there is another moon orbiting Earth. It is being called a “quasi-satellite” or a “near-Earth companion” because its orbit is apparently irregular and elliptical. It is actually an asteroid called 2016 HO3and is no larger that 40 meters across and about 100 meters wide. It has been hanging around our planet for centuries. It drifts away from time to time but then the Earth’s gravity pulls it back.

nasa-mini-moon

Since 2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the sun, we refer to it as a quasi-satellite of Earth” – NASA

It was first discovered in April this year and it is thought that it will orbit Earth for many years to come.