From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Thu Sep 19 2002 - 19:29:23 MDT
Amara Graps wrote,
> 1. Cruithne is not a satellite of the Earth. It is an asteroid.
> It moves about the Sun, the minimum distance to the Earth
> is 40 lunar orbital radii, well outside the Hill's sphere
> used to distinguish between satellites and independent solar system
> bodies.
I, myself, was confused about this until recently. A lot of the
descriptions of Cruithne describe it as a second moon. The diagrams of the
orbit also are misleading and look like it loops around the earth. With a
better understanding that it only orbits the sun and never goes around the
earth or even very near it, it becomes clear that this is not a second moon.
It is a companion in a close orbit, more like a Trojan asteroid preceeding
or following Jupiter.
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <www.HarveyNewstrom.com> Principal Security Consultant <www.Newstaff.com>
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