Earth and its moon will have company this holiday season. In April, our planet picked up a passing “minimoon,” pulling the space rock into a temporary orbit, astronomers have confirmed.
The object, dubbed 2026 QQ8, was first observed by Hungarian researcher Krisztián Sárneczky in August. It was officially reported by the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Minor Planet Center — the body that logs and confirms new solar system objects — on Oct. 29. This extraterrestrial traveler is expected to stick around until January 2027, extending its stay through the holidays before breaking free of our planet’s influence.
