Second Moon Spotted

[kyonides]

Guess what, guys? We've got a second moon after all!

You don't believe me!? Very well, then go read the article recently published by the BBC! :O

Second moon spotted by astronomers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51657682

Read it before it gets outdated! XD

[jlittle]

IMO, FWIW, calling rocks, even large ones, "moons" is misleading. IMO Mars has no moons; Phobos and Deimos are far too small to be called moons. If it's too small for gravity to make it roughly round, it's some kind of rock, not a moon; I'd draw the line at Mimas.

[oshunluvr]

In the text of the article they explain it's not really a moon

[GreyGeek]

Ya, it's just a rock about 1M in diameter.
Those rocks can have interesting orbits. Here's one that has been observed for a century:

Even the Earth's orbit is more complex than most people realize:

[kyonides]

Well, if dwarf planets do exist, Pluto is one of them, why not mini moons?

I do think that disregarding those moons mentioned here is a bit ironical since humanity has launched thousands of satellites. Even if a rock orbits a planet, it's become a satellite, thus a moon. Just saying.

[jglen490]

Even a few asteroids have been observed as having a moon. A moon (as distinguished from the specific object called "the Moon") is a natural satellite of another object. So a man-made satellite is not a moon, but a piece of rock (round or any other shape) may be a moon if it is traveling around another object. An object in orbit around a star has a different name.

[Snowhog]

An object in orbit around a star has a different name.

Yeah, that would be Elon Musk's spacefaring Tesla Roadster.

[jglen490]

Yeah, and it ran out of gas before it could get to Jupiter ...

[kyonides]

Yeah, and it ran out of gas before it could get to Jupiter ...

That would have been a true ride of a lifetime!

[GreyGeek]

That would have been a true ride of a lifetime!

AND, It has achieved a fuel economy of 8,378.1 miles per gallon!
https://www.whereisroadster.com/

[Snowhog]

And considering that it's an ALL ELECTRIC car, that MPG is impressive.

[GreyGeek]

And considering that it's an ALL ELECTRIC car, that MPG is impressive.

You haven't seen anything yet! Because that MPG is based on the fuel used to launch Starman into orbit, it can only increase as Starman continues to orbit the Sun. Right now he's made 1.3 orbits.