The scientific community has recently been abuzz with the news of a quasi-satellite named Kamo`oalewa, which is believed to be tracking Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Speculation abounds that this asteroid could, in fact, be a fragment from the moon. Plans are underway to launch a mission in 2025, aimed at collecting samples from Kamo’oalewa for detailed study.
Introduction to Kamo’oalewa
Kamo’oalewa was discovered in 2016 through the PanSTARRS telescope located in Hawaii. The term ‘Kamo’oalewa’ is derived from a Hawaiian chant and refers to an offspring that journey on its own. This quasi-satellite orbits the Sun, maintaining a relatively close proximity to the Earth, approximately 9 million miles away. The size of Kamo’oalewa compares to that of a Ferris wheel, measuring somewhere between 150 and 190 feet in diameter. Its small size, approximately 50 meters wide, has made it a challenge for scientists to study, resulting in minimal information being known about it thus far.
Possible Origins of Kamo’oalewa
Three theories regarding the origins of Kamo’oalewa have been put forth by the scientific community. One possibility is that it is a fragment of the Earth’s moon. It is speculated that an impact may have caused it to break away from the Moon and begin orbiting the Sun, mirroring the Earth’s trajectory. The spectrum of reflected light from Kamo’oalewa closely matches lunar rocks from NASA’s Apollo missions, supporting this theory. Furthermore, Kamo’oalewa’s unusual orbit is considered unlikely for objects drifting towards Earth from the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists remain uncertain how a lunar fragment came to float free in space, particularly as there are no other known asteroids with lunar origins.
Timeframe of Kamo’oalewa’s Journey
Scientists have estimated the timeframe for this hypothetical violent event, which might have caused the moon fragment to detach. The estimates put the occurrence between 100,000 and 500 years ago.
Alternative Theories on Kamo’oalewa’s Origin
Besides the lunar fragment theory, there are two other possibilities. One suggests that Kamo’oalewa was captured from a broad population of Near-Earth Objects (NEO) and found its current Earth-like orbit. Another theory posits that it could be a part of an undiscovered quasi-stable population of Earth’s Trojan asteroids. Trojans are a group of asteroids sharing an orbit with a larger planet.
About Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)
NEOs are comets and asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of neighbouring planets into orbits bringing them close to Earth’s vicinity. These objects are primarily comprised of water ice with embedded dust particles. They occasionally come close to Earth while orbiting the Sun. NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Study (CNEOS) employs the Asteroid Watch Widget to determine the times and distances of these objects when they approach Earth.