A stupid rock is following the Earth around.

[A HERETIC I AM]

Last edited Sat Jun 18, 2016, 06:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Well, this is awkward. Earth's relationship with the moon is no longer a monogamous one. Scientists have identified a second, mini-moon orbiting our planet that has probably only been around for about 100 years, reports NASA.

This second moon looks to be a recently captured asteroid, and like a mistress, its subtle dance with Earth may be fleeting, only sticking around for a few centuries. Still, it's a remarkable event that proves just how dynamic our gravitational relationship is with near-Earth objects.

The video above showcases in detail the path of the new moon's orbit as it bobs up and down like a tiny float in choppy water. As said, it's small, measuring in at only around 120 feet across and no more than 300 feet wide, which is probably why it has taken so long for scientists to spot it. (It was only just spotted last April.) Its distance from Earth varies from between 38 and 100 times the distance of our planet’s primary moon.

The quasi-satellite was given the label of asteroid 2016 HO3, though surely it ought to be in line for a more charismatic title sometime soon. Scientists also assure that the space rock is no threat to our planet or to our main squeeze, the moon.

More here.

It needs a name.

Moony McMoonerson?

[LostOne4Ever]

1. How about Mooner? nt

[NV Whino]

2. Mini Moon.

Or iMoon. 😏

[Uncle Joe]

43. Mini Moonpie if this "moon" has been around for a hundred years, that's about the same

length of time.

[lastlib]

75. Warren. eom

[X_Digger]

3. *satellite. n/t

[PJMcK]

53. It's not a moon

As you wrote, X_Digger, 2016 HO3 is an asteroid/satellite but it is not in orbit around the earth. Ergo, it's not a moon as it's orbit is around the Sun.

Regardless of the nomenclature, it's a fascinating little rock. It's gravitational interaction with earth creates patterns that remind me of the art toy Spirograph.

[BootinUp]

4. Its almost square dancing.

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. An asteroid doesy doe? n/t

[Night Watchman]

5. "Homewrecker"

And that video gave me an erection.

[Aerows]

8. I didn't need to know that. But congratulations? n/t

[Night Watchman]

9. HEH!

Did you watch the video? I actually found it erotic in a weird way.

[Aerows]

13. I'm happy for you.

More information I didn't need to know AT ALL.

[Night Watchman]

15. LOL!

I hate using textspeak, but I really am laughing out loud now

[A HERETIC I AM]

17. It's a good thing I didn't put up a geology story.

The cops might show up at your place!

[Night Watchman]

20. I think I'm gonna Die!

[A HERETIC I AM]

25. ::::Cops show up at Night Watchmans door::::

"Excuse me sir, but we received a call about strange noises"

"I'm fine"

"But you're all sweaty and you look pale"

"I'm fine"

"Well....is that a tent pole behind your robe, or are you just happy to see us?"

"I SAID I'M FINE!"

[NuclearDem]

23. If anything would make someone *rock hard*...

[Lochloosa]

102. Just don't post any National Geo pics.

I'm just saying.

[uponit7771]

30. tmi

[pinboy3niner]

42. "Bad Moon"

Bad Moon Rising

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin'.
I see bad times today.

(Chorus: )
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes ablowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear Night Watchman overflowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

(Chorus)
All right!

Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.

(Chorus)
(Chorus)

[brush]

6. That's stunning. Who discovered it. Are prizes in order? That's a huge discovery.

[hollysmom]

7. I thought you were going to say Moony Mc Moonface.

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. Too close to a recent sea going vessel! n/t

[Nye Bevan]

12. Obviously "Moon Jr" (nt)

[imanamerican63]

14. Be careful! Trump is going to buy that property and build Trump Plaza there!

[lonestarnot]

16. I like MooneyMcMoonFace.

[Baitball Blogger]

18. Merry Christmas Sci Fi writers.

Because, you know this is going to influence the imagination.

[A HERETIC I AM]

22. If it is discovered to have water......

all hell will break loose on DU also!

(Dammit! I tried to find the funny "Moon Bombing" thread from the old DU but it is a "missing topic&quot

[spud_demon]

56. (HO)^3

[leveymg]

19. Hagar

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/112053/jewish/Hagar.htm

Hagar became Sarah's Maid, but when Sarah was not blessed with children, she persuaded Abraham to take Hagar as his second wife. Sarah hoped that she could bring up Hagar's children and merit G‑d's blessing that way, so that she, too, perhaps might be blessed with a child.

Abraham took Sarah's advice and married Hagar.
.

[Tikki]

21. "Moonette"

or "Moonine".

Tikki

[Surya Gayatri]

24. Claire de Lune?

[Scientific]

26. Call it "Kermit"

It's playing "leapfrog" with Earth, so that works. And the original Kermit, in spite of everything, is a pretty darn nice frog.

We could use a little extra nice down here on planet earth.

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. Only if it's green.

And as we all know, being green ain't easy.

[Liberalagogo]

28. It's a sidekick....so.....

MILHOUSE!

And by the way.....

[red dog 1]

31. I like your avatar photo

"Say the secret word and divide a hundred dollars; it's a common word, something you see every day"...(like the Moon)

[wallyworld2]

81. :)

[red dog 1]

29. K&R!

How about calling it "Keith Moon"?

(my all-time favorite rock drummer)

[NBachers]

32. Luna Minor

[bucolic_frolic]

33. When I saw the headline I thought the moon would be orange

but it's a real scientific story

[Hortensis]

34. Mother Earth is female. Not saying they both

couldn't swing both ways, but to avoid offending billions perhaps her new little cicisbeo should be assumed male. He certainly seems an ambitious little guy, circling about her that way...

Keegan means small flame, ardent.
Peregrine means wanderer.

[KansDem]

35. Damn! Now we'll have to rewrite all those popular songs!

"Moons Over Miami"
"Blue Moons"
"Moonlights in Vermont"

And the lyrics?
The fox went out on a chilly night. Prayed for the moons to give him light...
I got the sun in the morning and the moons at night...
Moons rivers, wider than a mile...

Guess we'd better get started!

[Eleanors38]

46. "...the Mississippi Moons is just as bright."

[KansDem]

51. That's the ticket!

[OnlinePoker]

36. I nominate "Sailor" n/t

[Martin Eden]

37. Moonie McMoonface

Let the public decide!

[chknltl]

38. Call it Papa.

It has hung it's hat here for now but don't expect it to gather any moss.

[DRoseDARs]

39. 100% wrong headline is 100% wrong...

This is what happens when science-illiterate writers write about science. This asteroid has a name, 2016 HO3, and it orbits the Sun not Earth. It's orbit is similar to Earth's, and Earth's gravity tugs on it which should keep it relatively stable for a few centuries, but it absolutely DOES NOT orbit Earth.

[pinboy3niner]

40. Bad science writing is getting to be orbitual. nt

[Orrex]

80. The revolution will not be televised.

[TwilightZone]

84. *snort*

[pinboy3niner]

86. It will, however, be aired on Sirius Satellite Radio

[Orrex]

88. Apogee accepted.

[A HERETIC I AM]

45. And the link to the NASA story the author includes in the FIRST paragraph says exactly that.....

So cut the guy a little slack for using a bit of hyperbole.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6537

[DRoseDARs]

50. YOU chose to link to the science-illiterate instead of the actual NASA source...

Cute, but transparent dodge. The guy you chose to link to, and your choice to give him further views, is part of the problem with science illiteracy in this country.

[PJMcK]

54. There's a bigger problem

I think you'll agree with me, DRoseDARs, that it's the meager science education in our country that has contributed to our national ignorance of science.

Science is everywhere in our lives as it's the method of discovery about and understanding of all aspects our universe. Most people need science, i.e., medicine, technology, chemistry, etc., but they haven't any understanding of it. I think this is why some people deny climate change or believe vaccinations cause autism. They just don't know what they're talking about.

Regardless, the discovery of 2016 HO3 is fascinating!

[A HERETIC I AM]

55. "Transparent dodge"?!? Oh, for fucks sake.

You think I have some agenda? Do you think I intend to promote science illiteracy?

Jesus H. Christ riding a solid rocket booster dressed in a fucking tutu.

It's a silly story that will make exactly ZERO difference to ANYONE in real terms, yet you decided I was trying to assist in giving science illiteracy "further views".

Fine. I linked from the first place I saw the story and I didn't do further research to link to the original NASA/JPL story IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE FEW NIMRODS ON DU THAT WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM.


Forgive the fuck out of me.

Further proof that no matter what the subject, SOMEONE on DU will piss on a good natured thread.

God damn.

OH look! There's another thread over there --> you can piss on!!

Have the fuck at it.

There. Changed the title.

Better?

[Rex]

60. To care so much about The Science and then turn around and call you a birther is just special.

Super silly people, defending The Science...because clearly you are a Magic Moonbeam worshiper. Obvious as the cheese mountains on the moon! Confess! You are from H23SOU812-A and have an agenda to replace the moon with the stupid moon!

I was on to you from the very beginning, of time.

[A HERETIC I AM]

63. "I was on to you from the very beginning, of time. "

I know.

I'm clearly a horrible person.


Er.......mini-moonite

DAMMIT! I let the extra terrestrial out of the bag

[muriel_volestrangler]

61. I had nothing against how you originally posted it, but I do like your new title

Gee, Ma, can we keep it? It just followed me home.

[A HERETIC I AM]

94. ....

[Crunchy Frog]

100. That's never stopped DU from jumping on a bandwagon. n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

41. The moon is a quarter million miles away and this pebble is nine million miles away....

You just KNOW someone in the Pentagon is going to propose destroying it.

In Rummy's name.

[FairWinds]

44. Moony McMoonbeam

[Eleanors38]

47. Looks like a swash plate in an old GM air conditioner compressor.

[A HERETIC I AM]

48. I don't know why, but this comment wins the thread! N/t

[Eleanors38]

49. Thanks, I think.

[thelordofhell]

52. Muad'Dib

[KatyMan]

57. Win! n/t

[UTUSN]

58. R#39 & K for, best thread title. n/t

[Rex]

59. Stupid Moon?

That way we have the Moon and the Stupid Moon and you can take full credit!

[lostnfound]

62. Any Murakami fans? A second moon appears...

And that's when things get weird.

[Initech]

64. We should call it "Palinite".

[A HERETIC I AM]

66. They may find that's what it is composed of!

The dumbest element known to science.

[awoke_in_2003]

104. No, that would be

The GOP nominee

[SCantiGOP]

67. Insignificant, erratic, doesn't stay around long

Initech, you may have picked the right name

[underpants]

72. KEITH

That's my suggestion.

[L. Coyote]

65. This news weights heavily upon our world, but not for long.

Not the first asteroid to spend a little time attracted to our mass. This fling too will pass, we will forget and move on, each on our own path.

Sad, isn't it.

[A HERETIC I AM]

68. And then the little rock will search the Solar System.....

searching for a new friend to use as a gravitational "crack the whip" participant

[Warpy]

69. It's a big stupid rock

so be glad it decided to go into orbit rather than come in for a crash landing. Had it done that, someone's day would have been seriously ruined.

[Liberalagogo]

70. All I got was a rock...

[Wolf Frankula]

71. As it's just a Moon Unit

Let's call it Zappa.

Wolf

[awoke_in_2003]

73. Odd that this pops up today...

I just got Hulu, and started watching Space1999

[longship]

92. Episode 1!

Last edited Sun Jun 19, 2016, 02:27 AM - Edit history (1)

Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were married at the time. Barry Morse was mere frosting on the cake.

Martin Landau is one of my favorite character actors. I suggest North by Northwest by Hitchcock for an exemplar. Or maybe Woody Allen.

[awoke_in_2003]

97. I always liked Landau. nt

[csziggy]

105. Oh my - things you find when looking up other stuff

I was looking for a clip from "Ed Wood" of Landau playing Bela Lugosi:

And found this:

[bearssoapbox]

74. Little Luna?

[pinboy3niner]

76. Wanda

A moon called Wanda.

[applegrove]

77. My pet rock?

[ErikJ]

78. Looney.

[Lobo27]

79. Lunita

[jtuck004]

82. "Welcome to Earth, third rock from the..." make that the fourth, fourth rock from the sun.

Ok, only sometimes.

With apologies to Mel. Isaac, Joe Diffie, and mr whatever your name was in 7th grade. Other things were going on.

[k8conant]

83. Lunaki

[moriah]

85. The origin of our regular moon is fascinating.

http://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/nasa-scientist-jen-heldmann-describes-how-the-earths-moon-was-formed/

But this object isn't probably going to ever get a "Normal" orbit because of its shape.

Still, it's very cool

[A HERETIC I AM]

93. Interesting indeed.

I was familiar with the theory of it having been formed as a result of another planetary body striking the earth, but had not heard about the bulge and the spin rate.

Thanks for that link!

[roamer65]

89. Parvulus.

"little one" in Latin.

[A HERETIC I AM]

90. Elegant.

I like it.

[jimlup]

91. Hope it isn't named "Melancholia"

that was one weird movie about a plantetoid-earth crash...

?w=637&h=359

On a more serious science side. Maybe it is one of the spent Saturn V 3rd stages. With Apollo 13 and after we started crashing them into the moon for the sesmiological fireworks but I think Apollo's 10, 11 and 12's are still out there somewhere.

[Helen Borg]

98. Loved that movie!

😳

[pinboy3niner]

95. They could call our little buddy 'Gilligan'

[A HERETIC I AM]

96. Or "Dweezil"

Moon Unit's younger brother!

[jmowreader]

99. A "stupid rock"? They launched Trump into orbit?

[Godot51]

101. I suggest "Keith"...

[AlbertCat]

103. It needs a name.

I know! How about 3753 Cruithne!

Oops, already taken.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne