2020 CD3: Mini-moon

WHY IN NEWS?

Astronomers have observed a small object orbiting Earth, which they have dubbed a 2020 CD3, “mini-moon” or the planet’s “second moon”.

ABOUT 2020 CD3

• It is actually an asteroid, about the size of a car; its diameter is about 1.9-3.5 m. It is called a Temporarily Captured Object (TCO).
• And unlike our permanent Moon, the mini-moon is temporary; it will eventually break free of Earth’s orbit and go off on its own way.
• The mini-moon is called 2020 CD3 and was observed by researchers Kacper Wierzchos and Teddy Pruyne at the (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Nasa-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona on the night of February 15.
• The new mini-moon, 2020 CD3, was discovered using a 1.52-metre telescope at Mount Lemmon Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.
• The findings of the observation suggest that mini-moon 2020 CD3 entered Earth's orbit around three years ago, Minor Planet Center (MPC) confirmed this.
• Minor Planet Center is the single worldwide location for receipt and distribution of positional measurements of minor planets, comets and outer irregular natural satellites of the major planets.

Prelims Question

Q. 2020 CD3 which was recently in news is?
a)Moon rover
b)Comet
c)Space Ship
d)Mini Moon

Answer to the Prelims Question