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Astronomers have identified a tiny new quasi-moon, designated 2025 PN7, orbiting the Sun in close coordination with Earth for decades. First spotted by the Pan-STARRS observatory in Hawaii in August 2025, this small celestial body belongs to a rare class of objects known as Arjunas, which travel in sync with Earth’s journey around the Sun. While 2025 PN7 may appear to follow our planet, it is not gravitationally bound to Earth and instead maintains a quasi-orbit, a delicate balance influenced by both Earth and the Sun’s gravity.

Measuring just 62 feet (19 meters) across, 2025 PN7 is slightly smaller than the Chelyabinsk meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013. Its faint brightness, classified as magnitude 26, makes it visible only through high-powered telescopes. Scientists estimate that this asteroid has been tracing an Earth-like path for roughly 60 years, and it may continue to do so for a similar duration. Though impressive, this is far shorter than Kamo’oalewa, another well-known quasi-moon with an Earth-related orbit lasting approximately 381 years.

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Discovery: 2025 PN7 was first observed by Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS observatory in August 2025, marking it as the seventh and smallest known quasi-moon of Earth.

Orbital Characteristics: Unlike the Moon, 2025 PN7 orbits the Sun but maintains a synchronised path with Earth due to gravitational interactions, ranging in distance from roughly 2.8 million to 37 million miles (4.5–59 million km) from our planet.

Size And Visibility: At 62 feet wide with a magnitude of 26, it is extremely faint and observable only with powerful telescopes, making it one of the least stable and smallest known quasi-satellites.

Scientists have been aware of quasi-satellites since 1991, starting with 1991 VG, initially thought to be an alien probe. Today, such objects are understood to be natural and part of a secondary asteroid belt surrounding the Earth-Moon system.

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Quasi-moons like 2025 PN7 are scientifically valuable because they provide insight into Earth’s local cosmic environment, the dynamics of small bodies, and potential future space missions targeting near-Earth objects.

While 2025 PN7 may seem like a long-term companion, its stay is relatively brief compared to other quasi-moons. Yet its discovery highlights the dynamic and intricate nature of Earth’s cosmic neighbourhood, offering astronomers a rare opportunity to study these small, elusive celestial travellers.