A Wild Discovery Suggests Earth Had Multiple Hidden Moons

Earth's Lost Moons: A New Model Unlocks the Secrets of Our Primordial Past

Unveiling Earth's Hidden Cosmic Companions

Our planet's early history has always been shrouded in mystery, but recent discoveries are shedding light on a fascinating and complex past. New research suggests that Earth may have once been orbited by not one, but multiple tiny moons, known as minimoons or quasi-moons.

A Shattered World: Theia's Impact and the Birth of Earth and Moon

The formation of our current Earth-Moon system is believed to have been a violent collision between Earth and an ancient planet called Theia, about 45 billion years ago. This cataclysmic event ejected a massive cloud of debris into space, which eventually coalesced to form the Moon.

Lost and Found: The Vanishing Minimoons

Now, a new model proposed by researchers suggests that Earth may have once harbored a multitude of small moons that vanished over the course of billions of years. These minimoons, ranging in size from a few hundred meters to several kilometers, could have been captured by Earth's gravity or formed from the debris left over from the Theia impact.

Unveiling the Secrets of the Solar System

Earth's closest cosmic companions, whether tiny minimoons or our familiar Moon, hold valuable clues to the history of our early solar system. By studying these celestial objects, scientists can gain insights into the formation and evolution of Earth and its place in the cosmos.