According to Daily Mail, Earth's new semi-moon named "2023 FW13" was discovered by experts using the Pan-STARRS telescope located atop Haleakala volcano in Hawaii. This is one of the few known semi-moons.
Experts believe that this "companion" has been close to Earth since 100 BC and will continue to orbit our planet for at least another 1.500 years, until 3700 AD.
Since it is a semi-moon – 2023 FW13 will continue to orbit the Earth for at least another 1.500 years, until AD 3700.
Neither 2023 FW13 nor a similar semi-moon named 469219 Kamoʻoalewa pose a threat to humans.
Semi-moons, also known as semi-satellites, often orbit the Earth just like our natural satellite, the Moon. They are called "semi" because they are gravitationally bound to the Sun, not the Earth, as opposed to the natural Moon.
2023 FW13 differs from the natural Moon because it orbits outside Earth's Hill atmosphere – this is the area around a planet where its own gravity is the dominant force attracting satellites.
Earth's Hill has a radius of 1,5 million km, while the radius of 2023 FW13 to Earth is slightly larger, about 2,57 million km.
Semi-moon position 2023 FW13 relative to Earth and other planets in the solar system. (Photo: Tony Dunn)
That distance equates to 0,18 astronomical units, so large that Earth essentially plays no role in the motion of this semi-moon.
Although the size of 2023 FW13 has not been determined, asteroid expert Richard Binzel estimates it to be about 10 to 15 meters in diameter.
The orbit of 2023 FW13 around the Sun takes almost exactly Earth time – 365,42 days (1,0005 Earth years).
Tra Khanh(Source: Daily Mail)
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