Earth Has a Fake Moon That Has Been Orbiting It for Thousands of Years! - The Weather Channel

The Moon crossing the face of Earth.

(NASA/NOAA)

Despite holding the title of Moon King for years, Saturn was usurped by Jupiter in February 2023, spurring on an unexpected Moon race that saw the ringed planet excitingly reclaim its throne once again just earlier this month.

However, while all Miss World competitions have been won exclusively by Earth dwellers, the lunar race is an area we wouldn't even dare to compete in. And we all know why — we have but only one measly Moon…

...or so we thought, it turns out.

Astronomers have recently discovered an asteroid, now called 2023 FW13. Despite being only about 10-15 metres across — about the size of a five-storey building — the object has caused quite a stir among asteroid watchers due to some of its fascinating properties.

While not gravitationally bound to Earth in any discernible way (like our Moon), the asteroid's bizarre orbit makes it circle our planet occasionally, earning it the name of a quasi-satellite or quasi-moon.

Earth actually has had many of these failed quasi-satellite relationships with other space rocks in the past. However, much like in modern dating apps, most of its suitors have turned out to be especially unstable, eventually ghosting our planet after a few years or decades.

However, 2023 FW13 could be the special one, it turns out. Analysis showed that this seemingly loyal rock had been by our side since at least 100 BC, and will continue to do so until at least 3700, making it the Earth’s most stable quasi-satellite found to date.

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But before you get all rosy-eyed, once again, like dating in the modern era, there's always a catch. While the asteroid seems to be locked onto us due to its proximity to our planet, its true love actually lies with the Sun.

Astronomers discovered that 2023 FW12 is actually orbiting the Sun, and it's weird oblong orbit makes its path loop widely around Earth in a chance 1:1 resonance. Alan Harris of Space Science Institute reckons about three such objects are currently pursuing Earth similarly, although they are all going to be a pain to actually find.

But all things — be it love interests or asteroids — come and go. All we can do is brace for any impact, figure out the best way to cope and learn, and finally move on.

Lucky for us, FW13 isn't a total dud, either. There is little chance it will actually crash into us, and it could open up opportunities for future space exploration missions.

Its near-match to our orbit makes the rock an excellent "stepping stone" to other planets, such as Mars. It would take only a few months to reach the low-gravity 2023 FW13, making it an ideal place to practise deep-space missions before overcommitting.

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2023-05-30 10:24:52Z
CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd2VhdGhlci5jb20vZW4tSU4vaW5kaWEvc3BhY2UvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTA1LTMwLWVhcnRoLWhhcy1hLWZha2UtbW9vbi1vcmJpdGluZy1pdC1mb3ItdGhvdXNhbmRzLW9mLXllYXJz0gEA

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