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Arjuna 2025 PN7: Newest Quasi-satellite of Earth
- 23 Sep 2025
- 2 min read
Astronomers discovered the Arjuna 2025 PN7, a new quasi-satellite of Earth; it was first spotted by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii.
- 2025 PN7 belongs to the Arjuna asteroid class, named after the mythical figure Arjuna of the Mahabharata, symbolizing its fast, elusive nature.
- Quasi-Satellite Classification: 2025 PN7 is Earth's seventh known quasi-satellite.
- These objects are considered quasi-moons because their orbits around the Sun closely follow Earth’s orbit, though they are not gravitationally bound to the planet.
- A quasi-satellite of Earth is an object that orbits the Sun in a similar path to Earth but is not gravitationally bound to Earth.
- Mini-moons and quasi-moons differ, while mini-moons orbit Earth temporarily, quasi-moons stay in sync with Earth's orbit for hundreds to thousands of years.
- These objects are considered quasi-moons because their orbits around the Sun closely follow Earth’s orbit, though they are not gravitationally bound to the planet.
- Orbit: With a semi-major axis of 1.003 Astronomical Unit (AU) (almost identical to Earth’s orbit), 2025 PN7 follows a slightly elliptical orbit.
- 2025 PN7 orbits the Sun, not Earth, but stays near Earth due to a 1:1 orbital resonance, meaning it completes one orbit around the Sun in the same time as Earth.
- Significance: 2025 PN7 will remain in its quasi-satellite state for 128 years, providing ample time for scientific study.
- provides a unique opportunity to study orbital resonance, gravitational interactions, and the dynamics of near-Earth objects, acting as a natural laboratory for astronomers.
- Its Earth-like orbit makes it a potential target for future space missions, asteroid mining, and redirection technologies, while its movement helps improve planetary defense by assessing asteroid impact risks.
Arjuna Asteroid Class
- The Arjuna asteroid class consists of asteroids with Earth-like orbits, first identified with the discovery of asteroid 1991 VG.
- These asteroids are among the closest to Earth, sometimes becoming temporary mini-moons that stay near Earth for a while before drifting away.
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Read more: Kamo’oalewa |
