In space, there are an infinite number of stars, planets and galaxies that we are unaware of. And the same premise applies to Earth’s orbit, which is occupied by many objects that we have not even explored. An asteroid that was supposedly “expelled” from the Moon is among them.
Named Kamo’oalewa, it is a quasi-satellite, that is, it occupies a very distinct classification: like the Earth, it also revolves around the Sun, but has an orbit linked to that of our planet and don’t stray too far from him.
It was discovered in 2016, is around 40 to 60 meters long and has a considerably stable orbit. Interest in Kamo’oalewa has grown ever since, so much so that China is even investing in a mission for a spacecraft to land on its surface in 2025.
Searching for explanations for the emergence of Kamo’oalewa
(Fonte: Getty Images)
Foto: GettyImages / Mega Curioso
Kamo’oalewa can be observed in the sky during a small period of the year, and due to its small size, it requires more robust telescopes to be used to do so. We still don’t know much about this quasi-satellite.
In 2021, a study published in Communications Earth and Environment revealed that Kamo`oalewa’s spectrum was different from the asteroids already studied until then. When searching for correspondences, scientists related its appearance to that of rocks present on the lunar surface.
The theory formulated from this is that once the Moon collided with a meteorite, the asteroid was ejected from its surface. This is not rare, given that this type of impact actually causes the Moon to release pieces of objects into space. Many of them even fall back onto the moon itself or turn into meteors and crash into the Earth.
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of California, in the United States, also published in the journal mentioned above, when analyzing the probability involved in this type of phenomenon, offers a vision of how this would happen.
Defying probability
(Fonte: Getty Images)
Foto: GettyImages / Mega Curioso
The proposed numerical simulation stipulates that there was a 6.6% chance of the phenomenon resulting in a co-orbital state and a 0.8% chance of becoming a quasi-satellite, and that is still what occurred.
Proving that it really is a piece of the Moon will not only confirm that its existence in its current form can defy the most remote probabilities, since it orbits around the Sun, but will also offer an opportunity to indicate the age of Kamo ‘oalewa.
For Aaron Rosengren, who is one of the main authors of the article, “elements from this space body can provide us with information about the formation of the moon and improve our knowledge about asteroids close to the planet.”
This is because, it is worth remembering, the study of quasi-satellites proves to be quite important in mitigating the risk of collisions with Earth in a scenario in which they escape their orbits, which is plausible to occur in a certain time window.
2023-10-29 22:01:00
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