The assumption that the Moon is the only natural satellite of Earth was wrong. The planet where humans live surrounded by many small celestial bodies which often have not common orbit with a unique trajectory.
Duncan Forgan, Research Fellow at the University of Saint Andrew, in his article in The Conversation on Tuesday, February 25, 2015 outlines that the 3735 Cruithne is the most unique Earth's natural satellite. It was often also called near-earth asteroids.
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| A representation of Cruithne’s strange orbit around the Sun. Cruithne scuttles around the inner solar system in what’s called a ‘horseshoe’ orbit. This could provide an ideal testing ground for our understanding of how the solar system evolves under gravity. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1EcvOYq) |
Unlike natural satellites in general which orbiting the planets with elliptical trajectory, this celestial bodies which were found in 2007 has an uncommon orbit with the horseshoe-shaped path. And 3735 Cruithne often called 'quasi-orbital satellite'.
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| The illustration orbit of 3735 Cruithne. Yellow line shows the orbit of 3735 Cruithne that has cashew shaped. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1EcvOYq) |
With a horseshoe-shaped orbit, the celestial body whose has a diameter about 5 kilometers can move closer to the Earth, spinning, and then moving away. Furthermore, objects can come close to Earth again from the other side.
The distance of 3735 Cruithne to the Earth really varied. Sometimes very close. However, this object can also be moved very far until it is closer to the Mars and Venus.
What is unique, in the process to orbits the Earth, the satellite reaches the yearly closest distance to Earth in each November crosses a lot of circular paths that looks like a ring or there is also mention as cashews.
Together with the Earth, 3735 Cruithne around the Sun every year. However, the satellite took 800 years to circling the Earth crosses the intricate circular path. That's unique, isn't it?
Although small, when hitting the Earth, 3735 Cruithne could trigger mass extinctions such as the age of dinosaurs. But not to worry, the object that moving at orbital speed of 27.6 km/sec will not hit the Earth.
Forgan said the satellite that discovered by Duncan Waldron, will reach its closest distance to the Earth in the next 2,750 years. Meanwhile, 8,000 years ago, the satellite approached the Venus.
According to Forgan, many things can be learned from the 3735 Cruithne. Small celestial bodies that could be a clue formation of the solar system as well as its massive objects. During this time, scientists thought that the giant object is a combination of small objects.
The satellite which are rotate every 27.31 hours, in the future could also be one of human training place to land on an asteroid. If successful, one that can be done is to harvest the rare minerals to support the development of human technology. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAVE RENEKE'S WORLD OF SPACE AND ASTRONOMY]
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