A new study published in a leading scientific journal reveals exciting information about a lost part of the planet’s moon orbiting the Earth.In their new study, scientists confirmed that the asteroid named “Kamo`oalewa” is part of the moon and separated from it earlier.
According to the new research published in the scientific journal Communications Earth & Environment, a small asteroid orbiting near the Earth may be part of the moon, separated from it during an ancient collision, to form an independent asteroid orbiting in a specific path around the Earth.Confirming this would make the asteroid the first near-Earth object of known lunar origin, the researchers said, and the results could help shed light on the chaotic history of our planet and its scarred companion.
How can we see the wandering moon?
According to the scientific “livescience” magazine, the asteroid was discovered in 2016, using the “PanSTARRS” telescope in Hawaii, and scientists named it “Kamo`oalewa”, a word from the Hawaiian region that means “swinging celestial part”.
The wandering moon approaches about 9 million miles, or 14.4 million kilometers, from Earth, a distance of about 40 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.How did scientists know that it is part of the moon?
In their new research, scientists tried to reveal the secrets of this asteroid, by studying the faint patterns of light reflected on its surface.
The scientists found that the asteroid’s light spectrum matches lunar samples from NASA’s Apollo missions, indicating that the rock may be a lost piece of lunar debris.
In addition, scientists note that the asteroid’s orbit, which is incredibly similar to Earth’s, is atypical for the rocks that make their way toward our planet from the outer solar system. It seems more likely that the rock has been close to us for a long time, like our neighbor the Moon.
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