Earth acquires new 'quasi-satellite' expected to stay for millennia
Scientists have discovered a new asteroid, 2023 FW13, that orbits the Sun alongside Earth. This celestial body, approximately 50-feet in diameter and located nearly 14.4 million kilometers from our planet, has been classified as a "quasi-moon" or "quasi-satellite." The Pan-STARRS survey telescope in Hawaii first detected this asteroid on March 28, 2023. Its presence was later confirmed by the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope and two observatories in Arizona.
2023 FW13's orbital path mapped
Astronomer Adrien Coffinet highlighted the asteroid's listing and used an orbit simulator to map its path. The model, developed by amateur astronomer Tony Dunn, showed that 2023 FW13 orbits the Sun concurrently with Earth. This led Coffinet to label it as a "quasi-moon." However, Alan Harris from the Space Science Institute suggested that calling it a "quasi-satellite" might be somewhat exaggerated due to Earth's significant influence on its motion.
Earth's longest known 'quasi-satellite'
Scientists estimate that 2023 FW13 has been accompanying Earth in its solar orbit since at least 100 BCE and predict it will continue to do so until around 3,700 CE. Coffinet stated, "It seems to be the longest quasi-satellite of Earth known to date." Despite its relative proximity, the asteroid is not expected to collide with our planet. Harris reassured, "The good news is, such an orbit doesn't result in an impacting trajectory 'out of the blue.'"
Official recognition of 2023 FW13
The Minor Planet Center at the International Astronomical Union officially listed asteroid 2023 FW13 on April 1. This organization is responsible for naming new moons, planets, and other astronomical objects within our solar system. The listing of this asteroid as a "quasi-satellite" marks an important milestone in the study of celestial bodies that share Earth's orbit around the Sun.
