Overview
- Astronomers spotted 2025 PN7 in August 2025 with Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS telescope and confirmed a 1:1 resonance with Earth after analyzing its trajectory.
- A Research Notes of the AAS study indicates the object has likely been in a quasi-satellite phase since about 1965 and could depart in the early 2080s.
- Researchers estimate a diameter of roughly 30 meters, placing it among the smallest known quasi-moons and marking it as the seventh confirmed example near Earth.
- When nearest, it approaches roughly lunar distance at around 300,000 to 384,000 kilometers, though it is usually far dimmer and farther from Earth.
- Its composition and origin remain uncertain, so astronomers plan follow-up observations when it brightens, with some experts highlighting its potential as a future mission target.