minimoons

A minimoon is a small, naturally occurring celestial body that orbits the Sun in a temporary, unstable orbit around a planet. These objects are often captured by a planet's gravity for a limited period, ranging from a few months to several years, before their orbits are perturbed by other celestial bodies, such as the Sun or other planets, causing them to escape the planet's gravitational influence.

Minimoons are distinct from true moons, which are permanently bound to their host planets. Their temporary nature makes them challenging to detect and study. The first confirmed minimoon, designated 2006 RH120, was discovered in 2006 orbiting Earth. Since then, several other minimoon candidates have been identified.

The study of minimoons provides valuable insights into the dynamics of planetary capture and the early solar system. Their composition can offer clues about the materials present during planetary formation. Astronomers continue to search for more minimoons to better understand these transient celestial visitors and the complex gravitational interactions within our solar system. The transient nature of minimoons means that an object identified as a minimoon today may not be associated with its host planet in the near future.