Earth’s ‘New’ Quasi-Moon Has Been Hiding in Plain Sight for 60 Years

Earth has a new quasi-moon, a small asteroid that has been orbiting the planet for the past 60 years, according to a recent study. This celestial object, named 2016 HO3, is the most stable quasi-satellite ever discovered, and it is expected to remain in its orbit for several more decades. The researchers used observations from various telescopes to track the object's movement and determined that it is a quasi-satellite, meaning it orbits the Sun but remains close to Earth. 2016 HO3 is approximately 40 to 100 meters in diameter and is too small to be considered a true moon. While 2016 HO3 has been in our vicinity for six decades, it was only recently detected due to advancements in technology and observation techniques. This discovery highlights the ongoing effort to better understand the complex dynamics of our solar system and the various celestial bodies that orbit the Sun, including those that have been hiding in plain sight for years.