Page Howe

Do we actually two moons now, as “confirmed” by NASA?! Not quite. NASA just confirmed a small asteroid named 2025 PN7 as a “quasi-moon”. This is a rare kind of space rock that doesn’t orbit Earth directly, but moves almost perfectly in sync with us around the Sun. Discovered by the University of Hawaii, this little tag-along is only 18–36 meters wide, about the height of a small building, but it’s been quietly pacing our planet for around 60 years, and should stay until 2083 before drifting away again. At its closest, 2025 PN7 comes within 4 million km of Earth (about 10× farther than the Moon), and swings out to 17 million km at its farthest. Think of it like a cosmic jogger matching Earth’s stride..close enough to notice, but never tethered. Only eight quasi-moons are known, making each one a rare clue in how asteroids move and how our gravity shapes the space around us. Scientists say studying them helps refine orbital models and could guide future near-Earth missions. No, it won’t outshine our Moon but it’s a reminder that even after billions of years, Earth still makes new friends in orbit.