Mystery object entering Earth’s orbit ‘to become planet’s mini-moon until May’
An object known as 2020 SO is heading towards Earth, and could stay in orbit of the planet from October until May next year – although some think it could just be space junk
By Joshua Smith
Earth could be about to get a new moon – but experts have been left baffled at what the mystery object actually is.
An object known as 2020 SO is heading towards Earth and from October it will be a “mini-moon”, which could stay in orbit of the planet until May next year.
Another object, named 3753 Cruithne, has already been dubbed Earth’s “second moon” – meaning 2020 SO would be our third.
Cruithne is in a normal elliptic orbit around the Sun.
Its period of revolution around the Sun, approximately 364 days at present, is almost equal to that of Earth.