Scientists have identified what could be a second moon circling our planet, which acts differently from the one we are familiar with.
The object represents what astronomers term a "quasi-moon", a phenomenon the Planetary Society describes as "like a gravitational sleight of hand".
These space rocks create an illusion of lunar behaviour when viewed from Earth, appearing to circle our planet similarly to our permanent natural satellite.
These asteroids actually orbit the sun whilst temporarily travelling through space in tandem with Earth.
Scientists have identified what could be a second moon circling our planet
|GETTY
The recently spotted asteroid, designated 2025 PN7, joins seven other recognised quasi-moons that share Earth-like trajectories if its status receives confirmation.
The space rock measures 19 metres across, making it marginally smaller than the meteorite that detonated above Chelyabinsk, Russia, twelve years ago.
With an official brightness classification of magnitude 26, the asteroid remains invisible except through powerful telescopes.
The light is far dimmer than stars visible to the naked eye, which typically register at magnitude 6 or brighter.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The object represents what astronomers term a 'quasi-moon'
|GETTY
Carlos de la Fuente Marcos from Madrid's Complutense University told Live Science: "2025 PN7 is the smallest and the least stable known quasi-satellite of Earth."
Initial observations began on July 30, captured by the Pan-STARRS1 telescope at Hawaii's Haleakalā Observatory.
Orbital calculations suggest the asteroid may have been accompanying Earth for approximately 70 years, remaining undetected throughout this extended period.
The asteroid's discovery emerged through the work of French journalist and amateur astronomer Adrien Coffinet, who calculated its quasi-satellite status.
The recently spotted asteroid has been designated 2025 PN7
| GettyMr De la Fuente Marcos explained: "It is small, faint, and its visibility windows from Earth are rather unfavourable, so it is not surprising that it went unnoticed for that long."
The research was published on September 2 in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.
Mr De la Fuente Marcos suggested the facility "may uncover many more like 2025 PN7," potentially revealing additional hidden quasi-moons sharing Earth's cosmic journey.
He added that the recently operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory could transform our understanding of these elusive objects.