Earth welcomes a new quasi-moon companion until 2083

In a fascinating discovery, astronomers have identified an asteroid named 2025 PN7 as a quasi-moon of Earth. Found in images captured on August 29, 2025, by the Pan-STARRS telescope located at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii, this asteroid is expected to share an orbit with our planet for several decades, remaining in close proximity until 2083. Though it appears to be orbiting Earth from our viewpoint, 2025 PN7 actually orbits the Sun on a path similar to Earth's, leading to its classification as a quasi-moon rather than a true moon. Phil Nicholson, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, emphasized that quasi-moons do not orbit Earth around directly but instead follow their own solar orbits. They may seem to keep company with Earth, resembling a wolf trailing a camp, without being integral to it. This unique behavior means that as Earth and this asteroid travel along their respective paths, there are moments when 2025 PN7 is closer to Earth, creating the illusion of an orbit. Zoe Ponterio, manager of the Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility at Cornell University, explained further how the varying speed of 2025 PN7 contributes to its appearance in the sky. When the asteroid is closer to the Sun than Earth, it's moving faster, and its slower pace occurs when it's further away. This dynamic leads to the appearance of the quasi-moon swinging back and forth across the sky, as it periodically approaches and then distances itself. In total, six other partial, temporary, or quasi-moons have been documented near Earth, showcasing the intriguing nature of our Solar System, which consists of far more than just glaring planets. While the quasi-moon will not be visible to the average person due to its small and distant nature, this discovery highlights an era rich with astronomical exploration opportunities. Projects such as Pan-STARRS and the forthcoming LSST Survey at the Rubin Observatory in Chile promise a broad array of new astronomical findings that challenge our traditional understanding of the cosmos.