Astronomers Discover A Second Moon Orbiting Earth
If you’re a Star Wars fan, you probably know all about the two suns of Tatooine. But did you know that Earth has two moons? Don’t feel bad if you didn’t. This is a very recent discovery and our second moon isn’t very big.
Astronomers at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory think they may have discovered a second natural satellite or, if you prefer, mini-moon. The orbiting object, known as 2020 CD3, measures only about 6-feet to 11-feet across and the researchers say that it has been hanging around Earth for approximately three years.
Prior to the February 15th discovery, only one other mini-moon sighting has ever been confirmed. It was a 3-foot-wide asteroid called 2006 RH120, which orbited Earth for 18 months in 2006 and 2007. That’s the thing about second moons; they’re fickle. The astronomers expect this new moon to be gone by April. So long, 2020 CD3, we hardly knew you.
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