Source: Space.com
Earth has caught itself a new mini-moon, and it is sticking around for Christmas.
The space rock, designated 2026 QQ8, was first observed in August 2026 after entering orbit around Earth in April 2026. The discovery was __reported__ by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center on Thursday (Oct. 29).
The stay of QQ8 is a temporary one. The __mini-moon__ will remain in the thrall of Earth's gravity through December before breaking away in 2027.
Scientists have recreated the orbital path of QQ8, finding that it takes 359 days, or about 0.98 of an Earth year, to orbit __the sun__. QQ8 closely approaches Earth around once every ten years, but this time the object came so close that Earth has been able to gravitationally seize it.
According to the Minor Planet Center, the closest QQ8 will come to our planet during this stay is around 353,000 miles (568,000 kilometers). That is around 110,000 miles (177,000 km) further out than the average distance between Earth and __the moon__.
Even if QQ8 were to come close enough to collide with Earth, it would likely be completely destroyed in our planet's atmosphere before it reaches the surface, as it is only around 6 feet (2 meters) in diameter.