Article 1HKZC Earth's companion: asteroid locked in game of leapfrog with planet

Earth's companion: asteroid locked in game of leapfrog with planet

by
Alan Yuhas
from on (#1HKZC)

Scientists have discovered a small asteroid, labelled 2016 HO3, that bounces up and down through Earth's orbit - but it's 38 times farther away than the moon

The Earth has an asteroid companion traveling in orbit with it around the sun, Nasa astronomers have discovered.

The small asteroid has a slightly tilted orbit, bouncing up and down through Earth's orbital plane once a year. Over decades, as it scuttles along its path around the solar system, it twists back and forth.

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