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Tuesday 3 January 2012

Quasi-satellite of Earth - (164207) Asteroid 2004 GU9

Asteroid 2004 GU9 was discovered was discovered by the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) system in New Mexico, in orbit around the Sun on 13th April 2004.

Stats

Diameter: 0.16 - 0.35 km

Semi-major axis: 1.001 AU (almost same as Earth)

Rotation: not known

Orbit

What makes 2004 GU9, of great interest to astronomers is the remarkable stability of its orbit. It has remained a quasi-satellite of Earth for at least 600 years.

Before this phase, 2004 GU9 traveled in a horseshoe-shaped orbit that astronomers have tracked back at least 50,000 years. According to Martin Connors of Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada, 2004 GU9 is the first object in its class to maintain a long stretch of orbital stability.

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