Earth has a new moon - but it's already on its way to disappear

Earth has a new mini-moon, asteroid 2026 QQ8, discovered in August by a Hungarian astronomer. It was temporarily captured by gravity in the spring, but is expected to break free in late 2026 or early 2027. Its size is one to three meters, and it poses no danger.

Earth has a new companion, a mini-moon named 2026 QQ8, discovered in August 2026 by Hungarian astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky. It is a natural asteroid with a diameter of one to three meters, which entered a temporary orbit around Earth last spring. Initially suspected to be space debris, further observations, including by the University of Hawaii telescope and the Lowell Observatory, confirmed in late October that it is a natural object. The mini-moon is expected to be released from Earth's gravity in late 2026 or early 2027. On December 13, it will pass at a distance of about 1.35 million kilometers. It is not expected to hit Earth. The article explains the difference between a mini-moon and a quasi-moon, and mentions previous temporary companions like 2022 NX1 and 2024 PT5. Research on such objects aids planetary defense.