A team of American researchers is particularly interested in a quasi-satellite of the Earth.
This is an asteroid which could be an ancient fragment of the Moon, reports Numerama.
These scientists devoted a study published in the journal
Nature Communications Earth & Environment
to this object called Kamo'oalewa.
Quasi-satellites are objects that approach the planet and appear to revolve around it.
Among them, they discovered an intriguing asteroid.
"It was very different from most asteroids"
“His name is Kamo'oalewa.
We found it to be very different from most known asteroids.
In fact, it looks more like lunar samples studied since the Apollo missions, ”explained Ben Sharkey, the study's lead author, from the University of Arizona.
Kamo'oalewa is an asteroid discovered in 2016 which measures a few tens of meters and whose orbit seems stable for several centuries according to the simulations of the researchers.
Unlike other asteroids, it stays "close" to Earth for a fairly long time, which makes it easier to observe.
"Expect great discoveries"
“Kamo'oalewa reflects sunlight in a manner typical of minerals found on the Moon, which is very rare on the most common asteroids.
This, plus the fact that it remains close to the Earth, leads us to believe that it originates from the Moon, ”added Ben Sharkey, relayed by our colleagues.
Now the researchers hope to get more data to support their hypothesis.
They expect to make big discoveries, as the study's lead author said.
In particular to know how this material could have moved from one star to another.
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