Earth Has Three Celestial Buddies, According To Astronomers

Earth's celestial buddies in the form of small asteroids were discovered by NASA that move around the planet at a distance of 9 million times. Although the space rock orbits the Sun and not the Earth, the asteroids were not influenced by the planet's gravity, which keeps it close by. This means that aside from 2016 HO3, Earth has more celestial buddies, including mini-moons, Trojans, the quasi-satellites and some few additional discoveries.

The Moon used to be the only Earth celestial buddy and the most important natural satellite orbiting around the planet. But for the past 20 years, several discoveries have emerged claiming otherwise. One particular mini-moon is the three-mile wide asteroid named 3753 Cruithne that was discovered in 1983.

Earth Celestial buddy Cruithne is a quasi-satellite with the same features of 2016 HO3 that orbits the sun by its own. Its horse-shoe orbit makes it look like the mini-moon is creating a messy ring around the Earth's orbit. As explained by a researcher at the St. Andrews University Duncan Forgan, its similar orbital period like that of the Earth often looks like it sticks close to the planet. Along with other researchers, Forgan discovered some other "resonant asteroids" that give the notion that they orbit the Earth, Young Thinkers Guild reported.

Another Earth celestial buddy was discovered by astronomers 1906. 2010 TK₇ is the so-called Trojan asteroid that follows along behind or in front of the planet in the same orbit. It was recognized as the first Trojan in the solar system and an asteroid named as Achilles, which is after the similar orbit around the sun as Jupiter. From then on, astronomers have discovered thousands of Trojans that are mostly around Jupiter, yet also following Nepturen, Mars, Uranus and Venus.

In the late 2006, a mysterious white object that orbits the Earth was detected by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona. Named 2006 RH120, it was initially thought to be a spent rocket booster or some space debris. However, further studies have indicated that it was a small asteroid.  According to reports, it was the first Temporarily Captured Object ever recorded, or a mini moon that orbits the Earth. But in 2007, it just disappeared, according to Celestial Buddies.