Screenshot of 2025 PN7's orbit observed by NASA's JPL. (Credit: NASA JPL)
Move over moon, there’s a new (mini) moon in town, but don't worry, it won't be staying long.
Meet 2025 PN7.
Temporary mini moon
Dig deeper:
Earth actually has several hundred satellites/asteroids that are in an Earth-like orbit.
These satellites are so prominent, astronomers actually named the path on which they orbit the Arjuna secondary asteroid belt.
The backstory:
2025 PN7 was actually discovered about 60 years ago but was just recently spotted from the Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii on August 29, 2025.
About 2025 PN7
This quasi-moon is approximately 62 feet in diameter, according to EarthSky, and it’s got a magnitude (or brightness) of 26. This means it’s pretty far away and is actually difficult to see through a regular telescope.
2025 PN7 will eventually return to its other orbital path, but for now, it looks like Earth will have two neighbors.
Earth’s other quasi-moons
Other temporary satellites that join Earth’s orbit from time to time include Cardea, Kamo‘oalewa, 277810, 2013 LX28, 2014 OL339, and 2023 FW13.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from EarthSky.org and an IOP Science article. This story was reported from San Jose.