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A small space rock remained near the land last year and was referred to Temporary “Moon Moon” In fact, it may be part of the moon that was cut thousands of years ago.
The heavenly organism near the ground, known as 2024 PT5, measures about 33 feet (10 meters); However, not in any danger of collision with the Earth now or over the next few decades due to its course, according to researchers. After its close approach to the Earth, 2024 PT5 is slowly declining in its most distant new orbit.
But it is surprising that the orbit of the sun’s object resembles the Earth, indicating that 2024 PT5 originated from the angle of the solar system.
Astronomers first discovered the asteroid on August 7 by using the South African observatory as its headquarters for the last alerting system of NASA, or Atlas.
Although predictions that the asteroid may become a temporary temporary role around the Earth, the space rock has maintained the horse of a horse that has approached this, but it has never entered into an orbit around our planet. However, this moon is almost still unique because it is likely to be a piece of the real moon.
Kareta is the main author of a study on the object that was published on January 14th Astronomical Physics Magazine messages.
“It was never in orbit, but the vocabulary here to describe what I did-approached the Earth from the inside, and changed its orbit a little through a very close approach with the Earth’s system, then she recedes away from us. Comprehensive – barely meets borrowed names. ” He was going around for about two months. This type of orbit is essentially rare, so it should not be very surprising that we do not have a general term yet. “
Note Kareta and his colleagues with Telescope Discovery Lowell and the infrared telescope at NASA at the MAUNA KEA Observatory in Hawaii. With the reflection of sunlight from the surface of 2024 PT5, the team realized that it is very similar to the rocks that were recovered from the moon.
“We had a general idea that this asteroid might be from the moon, but the smoking pistol was when we discovered that it was rich in silicate minerals – not the type that was seen on asteroids but those that were found in the moon’s samples rock,” Carreta said. “It seems that it was not in space for a very long time, perhaps only a few thousand years or so.”
This discovery sheds light on a rare but increasing group of lunar asteroids, which can only reveal the number of times that the effects on the moon sent the stray space rocks that fly into the circumference of the Earth.
Exclusion of space wreckage
Kareta and his team members were at Lowell Observatory, who study asteroids close to Earth over nearby orbit, already watching the object before anyone called Mini Moon.
To ensure that 2024 PT5 was not a large piece of space debris, such as an old missile, which can also be found in an Earth -like orbit, the team studied how the object moved.
Space rocks and manufactured elements respond differently to the pressure of solar radiation, or momentum of light of light from the sun. These quantum particles, called photons, practice a small part of the strength when they face objects in space. When many photons are pressed on an object, they can accelerate or slow down.
When photons affect the hollow missiles, they move like an empty tin can reach a wind of wind, while the asteroid movement will not be significantly affected, according to Nassa.
Scientists from the NASA Center for Studies of Kneos, which tracks asteroids and satellite debris, calculated the 2024 PT5 movement and determined that it was really a space rock, instead of debris.
“The space and space rocks are slightly different in space,” said Oscar Fiwins Montes, a post -PhD fellow at NASA, who worked for CNEOS researchers in a statement. Human making is usually relatively light and pushed due to the pressure of the sun. 2024 PT5 does not move in this way indicates that it is more intense than space debris. “
Robert Gidic, an honorary specialist in the solar system bodies at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Hawaii, believes that the argument that 2024 PT5 is of the moon is convincing because the authors of the study “conducted a comprehensive analysis of all reasonable options.” Jedicke did not participate in the new study.
“The hypothesis that the minimum, or things like 2024 PT5 over the Earth’s Heliocentric orbits can be chips off the moon.” “It is expected that some of the objects launched off the moon will develop by the effect of the asteroid or guilty to these types of orbits.”
Multiple studies have been published on the object since its discovery in August, and September paper Written by Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, a researcher at the College of Sports Sciences at the University of Kawkbutsi in Madrid, was one of the first. He said that most research has reached a similar conclusion about 2024 PT5 being the moon’s wreckage. De La Fuwinti Marcus did not participate in the new study.
“Immediately after the discovery, Paul Chaudas, director of CNEOS, stated that the dynamics of 2024 PT5 can only be explained if it was part of the moon issued during the influence event. De La Fuente Marcus said:” His words were prophetic. “
The de la Fuente Marcos paper suggested in September that the object is part of the Arjuna asteroid belt, which is made of small asteroids that revolve around the sun like the Earth’s orbit. De La Venette Marcus said that the possibility of this belt was made of lunar debris “an unexpected discovery.”
Lunar asteroid classification
Kareta said that given the lack of a struggle on the asteroid, the maximum can be about a few million years, but it is likely to be younger. He said that the reflection of the asteroid surface matches the best materials from the lunar heights, or the rough terrain on the moon.
If scientists can connect lunar asteroids with the pits set on the moon, the space rocks can reveal more about the materials on the moon, as well as below.
To date, 2024 PT5 is just the second object in an Earth -like orbit of the alleged moon. Astronomers found Cuar 469219 Kamo’oalewa In 2016, which is also likely to be expelled from the moon after criticizing something in the moon.
The discovery of asteroids was excited by Kamwalua who were keen to find more, but no other candidates emerged until 2024 PT5.
“If there is one thing, it is easy to convince yourself that it is difficult or difficult to explain,” Carreta said. “If there are two, then there is a full group of residents waiting to recognize and study it.”
Kareta and his colleagues estimate that up to 16 asteroids of the moon and confirmation have already been found.
“The total size and the properties of the population are directly related to the number of times the moon produces these small harmful rocks – this is the type of information we want to attach to the growth of these population,” Carreta said.
The most sensitive telescopes coming online in the future, such as Vera Robin Observatory On the ground (in Chile) and New surveyor In space, it will be able to discover more asteroids in general, including the faded small rocks that the moon takes out.
“We will also have to get to know how to reduce dozens or hundreds of candidate things with interesting moon -like orbits before we go out to the telescope,” Carreta said. “It is like searching for a needle in a straw pile, with the exception of needles, it does not look very different from straw until you get it in front of the telescope.”
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