Overview
- The Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii detected 2025 PN7 in August, and a Research Notes of the AAS paper reports it as a newly confirmed quasi-satellite.
- Trajectory analyses show a 1:1 orbital resonance with Earth, meaning the object orbits the Sun on a similar timetable rather than being gravitationally bound to our planet.
- The asteroid is estimated to be roughly 30 meters across and is far too small to have any measurable effects on Earth.
- Its distance from Earth varies widely, approaching to about 299,000 km and ranging out to around 17 million km, according to published analyses.
- Researchers disagree on how long PN7 has been and will remain in this state, with estimates spanning from decades to departures around 2083–2085, and additional observations are underway to refine its properties and timeline.