Quasi-satellite
Encyclopedia
A quasi-satellite is an object in a 1:1 orbital resonance
with its planet
that stays close to the planet over many orbital periods.
A quasi-satellite's orbit around the Sun takes exactly the same time as the planet's, but has a different eccentricity (usually greater), as shown in the diagram on the right. When viewed from the perspective of the planet, the quasi-satellite will appear to travel in an oblong retrograde loop around the planet.
In contrast to true satellites, quasi-satellite orbits lie outside the planet's Hill sphere
, and are unstable. Over time they tend to evolve to other types of resonant motion, where they no longer remain in the planet's neighbourhood, then possibly later move back to a quasi-satellite orbit, etc.
Other types of orbit in a 1:1 resonance with the planet, include horseshoe orbit
s and tadpole orbits around the Lagrangian point
s, but objects in these orbits do not stay near the planet's longitude over many revolutions about the star. Objects in horseshoe orbits are known to sometimes periodically transfer to a relatively short-lived quasi-satellite orbit, and are sometimes confused with them. An example of such an object is .
Earth
As of 2011, Earth has five known quasi-satellites: 3753 Cruithne
, , , and . These objects remain in quasi-satellite orbits for periods of tens to hundreds of years or more.
Venus
Venus has a quasi-satellite, . This asteroid is also a Mercury- and Earth-crosser; it seems to have been a "companion" to Venus for the last 7000 years or so only, and is destined to be ejected from this orbital arrangement about 500 years from now.
Other planets
Based on simulations it is believed that Uranus
and Neptune
could potentially hold quasi-satellites for the age of the Solar System
(about 4.5 billion years), but a quasi-satellite's orbit would remain stable for only 10 million years near Jupiter
and 100,000 years near Saturn
. No actual quasi-satellites of these planets are currently known.
Artificial
In early 1989, the Soviet Phobos 2 spacecraft was injected into a quasi-satellite orbit around the Martian moon Phobos
, with a mean orbital radius of about 100 km from Phobos. According to computations, it could have then stayed trapped in the vicinity of Phobos for many months. The spacecraft was lost due to a malfunction of the on-board control system.
Orbital resonance
In celestial mechanics, an orbital resonance occurs when two orbiting bodies exert a regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other, usually due to their orbital periods being related by a ratio of two small integers. Orbital resonances greatly enhance the mutual gravitational influence of...
with its planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
that stays close to the planet over many orbital periods.
A quasi-satellite's orbit around the Sun takes exactly the same time as the planet's, but has a different eccentricity (usually greater), as shown in the diagram on the right. When viewed from the perspective of the planet, the quasi-satellite will appear to travel in an oblong retrograde loop around the planet.
In contrast to true satellites, quasi-satellite orbits lie outside the planet's Hill sphere
Hill sphere
An astronomical body's Hill sphere is the region in which it dominates the attraction of satellites. To be retained by a planet, a moon must have an orbit that lies within the planet's Hill sphere. That moon would, in turn, have a Hill sphere of its own...
, and are unstable. Over time they tend to evolve to other types of resonant motion, where they no longer remain in the planet's neighbourhood, then possibly later move back to a quasi-satellite orbit, etc.
Other types of orbit in a 1:1 resonance with the planet, include horseshoe orbit
Horseshoe orbit
A horseshoe orbit is a type of co-orbital motion of a small orbiting body relative to a larger orbiting body . The orbital period of the smaller body is very nearly the same as for the larger body, and its path appears to have a horseshoe shape in a rotating reference frame as viewed from the...
s and tadpole orbits around the Lagrangian point
Lagrangian point
The Lagrangian points are the five positions in an orbital configuration where a small object affected only by gravity can theoretically be stationary relative to two larger objects...
s, but objects in these orbits do not stay near the planet's longitude over many revolutions about the star. Objects in horseshoe orbits are known to sometimes periodically transfer to a relatively short-lived quasi-satellite orbit, and are sometimes confused with them. An example of such an object is .
Examples
As of 2011, Earth has five known quasi-satellites: 3753 Cruithne
3753 Cruithne
3753 Cruithne is an asteroid in orbit around the Sun in approximate 1:1 orbital resonance with the Earth. It is a periodic inclusion planetoid orbiting the Sun in an apparent horseshoe orbit. It has been incorrectly called "Earth's second moon", but it is only a quasi-satellite. Cruithne never...
, , , and . These objects remain in quasi-satellite orbits for periods of tens to hundreds of years or more.
Venus
Venus has a quasi-satellite, . This asteroid is also a Mercury- and Earth-crosser; it seems to have been a "companion" to Venus for the last 7000 years or so only, and is destined to be ejected from this orbital arrangement about 500 years from now.
Other planets
Based on simulations it is believed that Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
and Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
could potentially hold quasi-satellites for the age of the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
(about 4.5 billion years), but a quasi-satellite's orbit would remain stable for only 10 million years near Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
and 100,000 years near Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. No actual quasi-satellites of these planets are currently known.
Artificial
In early 1989, the Soviet Phobos 2 spacecraft was injected into a quasi-satellite orbit around the Martian moon Phobos
Phobos (moon)
Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Both moons were discovered in 1877. With a mean radius of , Phobos is 7.24 times as massive as Deimos...
, with a mean orbital radius of about 100 km from Phobos. According to computations, it could have then stayed trapped in the vicinity of Phobos for many months. The spacecraft was lost due to a malfunction of the on-board control system.
External links
- Quasi-satellite Information Page
- Earth's New Travelling Companion: Quasi-Satellite Discovered
- Astronomy.com: A new "moon" for Earth
- Discovery of the first quasi-satellite of Venus – University of TurkuUniversity of TurkuThe University of Turku , located in Turku in southwestern Finland, is the second largest university in the country as measured by student enrollment, after University of Helsinki. It was established in 1920 and also has faculties at Rauma, Pori and Salo...
news release (August 17, 2004)