A mini-moon can be defined as an object that is at least temporarily associated with our planet, orbits it at least once, and at some point in its orbit is closer than four times the distance from Earth to the Moon. (Image credit: Nazariy Neshcherensky/iStock/Getty Images)
A new study suggests that half a dozen lunar fragments may temporarily orbit Earth before moving into orbit around the Sun, but their small size and high speed make them difficult to detect.
When objects collide with the Moon, they eject streams of material, some of which escapes into space. Although large pieces of debris can occasionally be created, most are fast-moving and less than 2 meters (6.5 feet) in diameter. The bulk of the lunar material ends up in orbit around the Sun, which has a stronger gravity. However, as scientists explained in a study published in the journal Icarus, some of the debris can sometimes be temporarily captured by Earth's orbit before returning to orbit the Sun again.
“It's like a square dance where the partners are constantly changing, and sometimes someone leaves the dance floor,” Robert Jedicke, a researcher at the University of Hawaii and lead author of the paper, said in an email to Space.com.
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
