Scientists propose that the near-Earth asteroid Kamo’oalewa, which orbits alongside our planet as a ‘minimoon,’ might have originated from the Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the moon. This theory stems from a recent study published in Nature Astronomy. The research suggests that Kamo’oalewa could have been propelled into space when a large space rock struck the moon, forming the Giordano Bruno crater.
Kamo’oalewa’s characteristics align closely with those of the Giordano Bruno crater, including its light reflectance, size, age, and spin. Notably, Kamo’oalewa was discovered in 2016 by researchers at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii. It has a diameter of approximately 100 to 200 feet (30 to 60 meters) and rotates rapidly, completing one rotation every 28 minutes. Moreover, its orbit around the sun resembles that of Earth, occasionally bringing it within 10 million miles (16 million kilometers) of our planet.
The proposed lunar origin of Kamo’oalewa adds a layer of intrigue to China’s upcoming Tianwen-2 mission, which aims to launch a sample-return mission to the asteroid in 2025. If successful, this mission could provide valuable insights into Kamo’oalewa’s composition and further confirm its lunar-derived origin.