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Say hello to our new moon
AFP ^ | Fri Mar 26, 2004

Posted on 03/29/2004 12:13:58 PM PST by presidio9

Earth has acquired a "quasi-moon" -- an asteroid that will encircle our planet for the next couple of years while it orbits the sun on a horseshoe-shaped path, according to a report to be published on Saturday in New Scientist.

The asteroid, 2003 YN17, "is probably a chunk of debris" from an impact between a larger space rock and the surface of the moon, the British weekly says.

2003 YN17's orbital plane is roughly the same as the earth's, but its unusual path, compounded by a corkscrew-like track, means that sometimes it is ahead of us and sometimes it is behind.

"Since 1996, its path has taken it round the earth, making it a quasi-satellite. This phase will last until 2006," the report says.

The finders are a team led by Paul Chodas, an asteroid specialist at NASA (news - web sites)'s famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Two other "quasi-moons" -- temporary fellow-travellers that loop around the earth for while as they girdle the sun -- have been spotted in recent years: Cluithne and asteroid 2002 AA29.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2002aa29; 2003aa29; 2003yn17; 2006rh120; cluithne; cruithne; minimoon; minimoons; moon; quasisatellite; quasisatellites; rh120
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To: general_re; In_25_words_or_less; aculeus

Rev. Sun Myung 2003 YN17

41 posted on 03/29/2004 3:02:38 PM PST by Thinkin' Gal
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To: general_re; Thinkin' Gal
Shine on, shine on, Harvest 2003 YN17
Up in the sky
I ain't had no lovin' since
January, February, June and July.

Snow time ain't no time to
Stay outdoors and spoon,
So shine one, shine on Harvest 2003 YN17
For me and my gal....
42 posted on 03/29/2004 3:10:06 PM PST by hellinahandcart
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To: Neenah
Even a man who's pure of heart
And says his prayers by night
Can become a wolf when the Wolfbane blooms
And the autumn 2003 YN17 is bright

43 posted on 03/29/2004 3:17:10 PM PST by Salamander
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To: Xenalyte; humblegunner
I go out walkin' after midnight,
out in the 2003 YN17 light,
just hopin' you may be
somewhere a walkin' after midnight searchin' for me
44 posted on 03/29/2004 3:18:01 PM PST by pax_et_bonum (Always finish what you st)
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To: tiggs
We Got to give this thing a real name. How about Reagania?
45 posted on 03/29/2004 3:21:12 PM PST by Hollywoodghost (Let he who would be free strike the first blow)
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To: Thinkin' Gal
Say it's only a paper 2003 YN17
Sailing over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make-believe
If you believed in me
46 posted on 03/29/2004 3:27:05 PM PST by hellinahandcart
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To: Hollywoodghost; NYC GOP Chick; firebrand; sauropod
How about Reagania?

The hell you say.

It's leaving us in two years, so let's call it Hillary.

47 posted on 03/29/2004 3:29:05 PM PST by hellinahandcart
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To: hellinahandcart

2003 YN17s Over My Hammy

48 posted on 03/29/2004 3:31:17 PM PST by general_re (The doors to Heaven and Hell are adjacent and identical... - Nikos Kazantzakis)
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To: b4its2late
...means that sometimes it is ahead of us and sometimes it is behind.

So, it's an asteroid when it's behind us and a headeroid when it's ahead of us?

No. That means it's a Kerryoid. It can't make up its mind on what position it wants to take.

49 posted on 03/29/2004 3:32:53 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,Election '04...It's going to be a bumpy ride,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø)
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To: CJ Wolf
And you forgot the obvious.
If it lands at either the north pole or the south pole it would end up being a polaroid.
50 posted on 03/29/2004 3:40:09 PM PST by jongaltsr (Hope to See ya in Galt's Gultch.)
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To: piasa
"Oh, 2003 YN17 of Alabama,
We now must say goodbye.
We lost or good ol' Mama,
And must have whiskey, oh, you now why."
51 posted on 03/29/2004 3:42:13 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,Election '04...It's going to be a bumpy ride,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø)
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To: general_re; hellinahandcart; dighton; In_25_words_or_less; aculeus

2003 YN17 walking

52 posted on 03/29/2004 3:43:53 PM PST by Thinkin' Gal
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To: pax_et_bonum; Xenalyte
I'm Sailor 2003 YN17!


53 posted on 03/29/2004 4:07:13 PM PST by humblegunner
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To: b4its2late
LOL
54 posted on 03/29/2004 4:09:22 PM PST by RightWhale (Theorems link concepts; proofs establish links)
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To: presidio9
Why does this rock look so smooth, like a stone?
55 posted on 03/29/2004 4:10:34 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Neenah
Everyone's gone to the 2003 YN17

Awfully small...LOL!...Tommie Edwards bump

56 posted on 03/29/2004 4:20:59 PM PST by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :)
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To: hellinahandcart
It's leaving us in two years, so let's call it Hillary.

From your lips to G-d's ears! I'm almost tempted to rewrite the lyrics to "Imagine"...

57 posted on 03/29/2004 4:23:53 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick ("If I could shoot like that, I would still be in the NBA" -- Bill Clinton, circa 1995)
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To: presidio9
2003 YN17 Bay, California
58 posted on 03/29/2004 4:24:23 PM PST by Khurkris (Ranger On...I like durian.)
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To: presidio9
...I got nothin'...
59 posted on 03/29/2004 4:24:46 PM PST by Khurkris (Ranger On...I like durian.)
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To: Thinkin' Gal; dirtboy; dighton; mhking; Charles Henrickson; hellinahandcart; Constitution Day; ...
This is one of the funniest threads I've seen in a long while.
60 posted on 03/29/2004 4:27:38 PM PST by aculeus
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