We got used to think that at Earth only one natural satellite – the Moon. But recently American astronomers carried out calculations which showed that in Earth orbit about one thousand different invisible objects constantly settle down, moreover, periodically our planet has one more satellite which can be considered with the naked eye. Scientists constructed computer model which is based on simulation about ten million different celestial bodies which are systematically visiting gravitational system of “Loong Earth”. Watching these processes, researchers came to a conclusion that in an orbit around Earth there are various invisible bodies with a natural space origin rotating around our planet on difficult, spiral trajectories at any moment. As their own orbits, most often, are unstable, they are about Earth no more than one year. Then the part from these bodies leaves The Moon — Earth system and begins new “travel” around the Sun, and one more part systematically gets to an attraction of our planet and its largest satellite of the Moon, and as a result falls to the Ground, burning down in the atmosphere. As with a diameter it is less objects than 30.5 centimeters are a lot of, it is possible to draw a conclusion that the majority of the meteoroid getting to Earth is mini-satellites. According to one of authors of research Robert Dzhedike of the Hawaiian university, careful research of their movements which included gravitational influence of the Sun and other planets, and also big asteroids of Solar system was conducted. As a result it was found out that about 18 thousand meteoroid were taken by Earth, and within a short period of time were in an orbit near it. Dzhedike noted that results showed existence of one-two of the similar mini-moon by the sizes equal to the washing machine at any moment, and about one thousand more are more than a ball for softball (30.5 cm in the diameter). Why these “additional” satellites are invisible to us? It occurs because a surface of chondrites which are a part of meteoroid, very dark therefore they are almost indiscernible against blackness of space. And by the sizes they are small. However astronomers managed to record an asteroid 2006 RH120, five meters in the diameter which was in a terrestrial orbit from July, 2006 to July, 2007, then he left it and went to free flight. Then it did not manage to be identified. The analysis of the reflected radiation which allows to make the assumption of an anthropogenous origin of an asteroid was carried out. In 2009 work in which proofs that 2006 RH120 it is unique object – the first registered temporary satellite of Earth were provided was published in the Astronomy and Astrophysics magazine. By the way, the model showed that each 50 years the object with a diameter about 10 meters which some time is in its orbit gets to a gravitational field of the Moon. In turn, Earth has ability to capture time in 100 thousand years objects with a diameter about 100 meters. These bodies can be considered with the naked eye from a planet surface as their structure, unlike meteoroid, includes a large amount of metal which well reflects light. Far back in the past our ancestors quite could watch a similar show. According to Robert Dzhedike, hundred thousand years ago it approximately that time when the modern person left prints on cave walls so at that time somebody really could watch the mini-moon in a sky. And in 2011 article with the assumption that at the beginning of existence of our planet, about 4.6 billion years ago, in its orbit there were two constant satellites was published in the scientific magazine Nature, and one of them crashed into another eventually. But nevertheless it is wrong to call “excess” satellites equivalent to the Moon. They it is much less, than it, and only for a short time remain near the planet. However, there is a theory that the Moon can “leave” Earth, having turned into the independent planet, like Mercury which, according to assumptions, once was the satellite of Venus, and then “departed”. At present the Moon actually is removed it Earth, however rather slowly, approximately on 38 millimeters in a year. During several billion years the period of the lunar address can increase by one and a half times, however it does not mean that the satellite “will leave” from Earth. Moreover, according to the estimates of scientists, eventually the Moon will begin to approach our planet again. Already through 5 billion years the lunar orbit will have the maximum radius – 463 thousand kilometers, and terrestrial days will last 870 hours. However it is quite probable that for such huge period, the mankind will already disappear, or will move in other star systems. So also we, and our descendants, on an extent of many generations will live under the Moon.
Leave a Reply