But the determination of its orbit required follow-up observations using the 4.1-meterSOAR (Southern Astrophysical Research) telescopein Chile.
500 years of 2020 XL5 orbits plotted, relative to Earth.
These are where the gravitational forces of the Earth and the Sun balance to create stable locations.
It means the object keeps pace with the Earth as it goes around the Sun.
The Lagrange points associated with Earths orbit (sizes and distances not to scale).
da Silva
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Here, a small-mass object making an equilateral triangle with Sun and Earth is in a stable equilibrium.
A convention developed to name each one after a hero from the same story.
Collectively, whether at L4 or L5 they are all referred to as Trojans.
Asteroid positions, with Jupiters Trojans in green.
But 2020 XL5 is only the second Trojan companion of Earth to have been found.
The first, 2010 TK7, wasdiscovered in 2010.
Thats only about 300 meters across, so 2020 XL5 considerably outmasses it at about 1.2km across.
But could we mine them or use them in other ways?
Santana-Ros notes that 2020 XL5 has an orbit that bobs above and below Earths orbital plane.
That would probably need too much fuel to be practical.
The same applies to 2010 TK7.
They could even be a source of resources that we could mine.
