Earth has captured a new, tiny companion. The space rock, designated 2026 QQ8, entered orbit around our planet in April 2026 after being gravitationally seized during a close approach. While the object is currently traveling in a wide, looping path around Earth, it is slated to escape back into deep space in 2027.
Hungarian Astronomer Spots Natural Asteroid
The object remained undetected for several months after its arrival. Hungarian astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky first spotted 2026 QQ8 on August 20, 2026. The discovery was officially reported by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center on October 29, according to Space.
Initial observations led to uncertainty regarding the nature of the object, as Earth’s orbit contains various pieces of discarded hardware. Following this analysis, the Minor Planet Center confirmed that no link to a known artificial object has been found.
The evidence strongly suggests it is a natural asteroid.
Small Dimensions Pose No Collision Risk
Estimates regarding the object’s physical dimensions vary slightly, with some reports placing it at 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter, while other modeling suggests it could be as large as 2 meters. Regardless of these estimates, its small size means it poses no collision risk to Earth; if it were to enter the atmosphere, it would simply burn up as a brilliant shooting star rather than reaching the surface.
Outside of this boundary, the Sun dictates how objects move. By reconstructing the object’s trajectory, scientists determined that it takes approximately 359 days, or 0.98 Earth years, to orbit the Sun. Its path is tilted by half a degree relative to Earth’s orbital plane, and it follows a solar orbit remarkably similar to our own, which helped it move close enough to be captured.
During this stay, the object will reach a closest approach of about 0.0038 astronomical units, or approximately 354,000 miles (570,000 kilometers). This distance is about 1.5 times farther than the average distance between Earth and our permanent Moon.
Object Makes Close Pass Every Decade
This is not the first time 2026 QQ8 has traveled near our planet. Orbital reconstruction shows that the object passed relatively close to Earth in 1965, though it did not enter the Hill sphere at that time. Astronomers project another close approach in 2058, but the rock is expected to remain outside the boundary required for gravitational capture. Generally, this object makes a close pass by Earth roughly once every ten years.
Earth has previously hosted other temporary satellites, such as 2020 CD3 and 2024 PT5, the latter of which remained near Earth for about two months in 2024. Another suspected mini-moon, 2020 SO, was later identified as an abandoned rocket stage. Not every apparent second moon is actually captured by Earth’s gravity, however. Objects like 2025 PN7 are classified as quasi-moons; they do not orbit Earth but instead share a similar path around the Sun, appearing to travel alongside us while remaining gravitationally independent.
For 2026 QQ8, the current arrangement is short-lived. The object is expected to remain in Earth’s gravitational grasp through December before continuing its independent journey through the solar system in 2027. Recent modeling of temporary satellites suggests an average stay of about nine months, with the average size of such objects being roughly 75 centimeters (30 inches) across.
