The Digital Press

Astronomers have discovered a tiny asteroid named 2025 PN7 that has been orbiting near Earth for decades in a quasi-moon orbit, following the Sun but closely accompanying our planet. This small space rock has likely been in this unusual orbit since 1957 and will remain Earth's companion for about 60 more years.

Why it matters: 2025 PN7 offers a unique nearby object for testing space exploration technologies due to its Earth-like orbit and accessibility.

The big picture: Quasi-moons like 2025 PN7 orbit the Sun but stay near Earth, showing complex orbital behaviors such as horseshoe orbits.

Stunning stat: At just 19 meters wide, 2025 PN7 may be the smallest quasi-moon ever detected, with narrow visibility windows.

Commenters say: Many note its interesting horseshoe-like orbit and debate whether it is a natural asteroid or leftover space debris from early space missions.