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Quasi-Moon : 2023 FW13

News: A ‘quasi-moon’ known as ‘2023 FW13’ has recently been found by astronomers; it orbits the Earth but is actually gravitationally tied to the Sun.

Asteroid 2023 FW13 has been classified as a quasi-satellite or a quasi-moon.

It is one of the few satellites or quasi-moons in our solar system that we are aware of.

Experts using Hawaii’s Haleakala volcano’s Pan-STARRS telescope were able to locate it.

It has been near Earth since 100 BC and will continue to circle it until AD 3700, which is at least another 1,500 years.

2023 FW13, a recently discovered asteroid, orbits the sun in time with Earth.

Its diameter ranges between 10 and 20 metres, according to early estimates.

Although the asteroid is not gravitationally tied to Earth in any discernible way (unlike our Moon), its peculiar orbit causes it to occasionally circle our planet, giving it the nickname “quasi-satellite” or “quasi-moon.”

The moon is around 223,693 miles (360,000 km) from Earth at its closest point in its slightly elliptical orbit around it.

Due to their apparent orbital resemblance to that of the Moon, our natural satellite, quasi-moons are also referred to as “quasi-satellites” or “quasi-moons.”