2022 NX1

Template:Mp is a near-Earth object roughly Template:Convert in diameter discovered by Grzegorz Duszanowicz and Jordi Camarasa. The object orbits the Sun but makes slow close approaches to the Earth–Moon system. Between 11 June 2022 and 3 July 2022 (a period of Template:Time interval) it passed within Earth's Hill sphere (roughly Template:Convert) at a low relative velocity and became temporarily captured by Earth's gravity, with a geocentric orbital eccentricity of less than 1 and negative geocentric orbital energy. Due to its Earth-like orbit, the object might be of artificial origin or lunar ejecta. However, visible spectroscopy obtained with the Gran Telescopio Canarias shows that it is an asteroid. The closest approach to Earth in 2022 was 26 June 2022 at roughly Template:Cvt when it had a relative velocity of Template:Convert. It was last near Earth around 16 January 1981 when it passed about Template:Cvt from Earth. It will return as a temporary satellite in December 2051.

Entering and Exiting Geocentric Orbit
(assuming the Earth+Asteroid are the only objects in the Solar System)

Epoch	Earth distance	Geocentric eccentricity	Apogee	Orbital period
2022-Jun-11	Template:Convert	1.024	$\mathrm{\infty }$	$\mathrm{\infty }$
2022-Jun-12	Template:Convert	0.997	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
2022-Jun-21	Template:Convert	0.815	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
2022-Jul-02	Template:Convert	0.987	Template:Convert	Template:Convert
2022-Jul-03	Template:Convert	1.008	$\mathrm{\infty }$	$\mathrm{\infty }$

The object was discovered on 2 July 2022 by Moonbase South Observatory in Namibia when it had a deep Southern Hemisphere declination of –59° in the constellation of Pavo.

With a 56-day observation arc the object shows a 1.2% chance of impacting Earth between the years of 2075–2122. This asteroid experienced a temporarily-captured flyby in 1981, had another one in 2022, and the current observation arc predicts it will become a mini-moon again in 2051.

The reflectance spectrum of 2022 NX₁ suggests that its origin is not artificial and also that it is not lunar ejecta; it is also different from the V type of the only other mini-moon with available spectroscopy, Template:Mpl. The visible spectrum of 2022 NX₁ is consistent with that of a K-type asteroid, although it could also be classified as an Xk type. Considering typical values of the similar albedo of both K-type and Xk-type asteroids and its absolute magnitude, 2022 NX₁ may have a size range of 5 to 15 m.

See also

• Template:MplTemplate:Snd near-Earth asteroid temporarily captured by Earth after its discovery in 1991
• Template:MplTemplate:Snd the first temporary Earth satellite discovered in situ 2006
• Template:MplTemplate:Snd another temporary Earth satellite discovered in 2020
• Template:MplTemplate:Snd another temporary Earth satellite discovered in 2024
• 2020 SOTemplate:Snd a suspected near-Earth object identified as a rocket booster from the Surveyor 2 mission

External links

• It came from below. Newly-discovered 2022 NX1 briefly entered Earth's orbit (ecc < 1) through the L1 point. (Tony Dunn 17 July 2022)