Overview
- University of Hawaii’s Pan‑STARRS survey first imaged 2025 PN7 on August 29, 2025, with archival sightings indicating it has tracked alongside Earth for about 60 years.
- NASA classifies the object as a quasi‑moon, a temporary co‑orbital companion distinct from a true gravitational satellite.
- Estimated at roughly 18–36 meters across, the faint asteroid is among a small set of known quasi‑moons and is difficult to observe from Earth.
- Orbital models show it stays millions of kilometers away, approaching to about 4 million kilometers at closest, and poses no impact risk.
- Viral “two moons” posts prompted clarifications from scientists, who note the object’s value for studying orbital dynamics and as a potential low‑cost mission target.