2023-10-28 04:00:21
The asteroid Kamo’oalewa, a rock several tens of meters in diameter, has disconcerted scientists since its discovery in 2016. A new study provides valuable clues regarding its origin, which would be directly linked to the Moon (The Moon is the Earth’s only natural satellite and the fifth largest satellite of the…).
Kamo’oalewa near the Earth-Moon system.
Crédit: Addy Graham/University of Arizona
The rocky fragment orbits within 14.4 million kilometers of the Earth. is the third planet in the Solar System in order of distance…) every April. The strangeness of its orbit and its composition has raised questions. An analysis in 2021 found that Kamo’oalewa’s composition is similar to that of the Moon.
The study, published October 23, presents a hypothesis that an ancient asteroid impact on the Moon may have put Kamo’oalewa on its trajectory. movement, and…) current. Renu Malhotra, a planetary scientist at the University of Arizona and lead author of the study, says other lunar fragments might also be present. find in the Solar System (The solar system is a planetary system composed of a star, the…).
Kamo’oalewa’s unusual orbital properties prompted astronomers to investigate. First, it is so close to Earth that it appears to be orbiting there, although its true orbital partner is the Sun. Additionally, Kamo’oalewa is expected to remain near Earth for millions of years.
Depiction of a meteorite striking the lunar surface.
Credit: NASA
By simulating asteroid impacts on the Moon, researchers found a low probability that some fragments would end up orbiting near Earth. Before this study, it was expected that most of the ejected lunar materials would finish their course (Course: This word has several meaning, all having to do with movement.) on the Moon or on the Earth.
For scientists, the next step will be to understand the conditions that pushed the rock into its current orbit and determine the date of the initial impact.
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