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<tt>Hi all<br>
Please see the query below from Hildegarde regarding Earth's "second
moon" (called Cruithne).<br>
<br>
If any of you have come across this similar question (or even if you
haven't as yet) you may be interested to know that Cruithne is an
asteroid (a small rock that goes around the sun) but because it's orbit
is relatively close to the earth's it appears to have a complicated
motion around the earth (hence the impression that it is a second
moon). There's a cool diagram on
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne</a> and also a some nice
references, check out especially the NASA JPL reference which has more
data on it.<br>
<br>
In short, it's an asteroid near to the earth's orbit - but NOT a second
moon.<br>
<br>
Please continue to send in any queries or interesting things you may
come across.<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
Kevin<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</tt><br>
-------- Original Message --------
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<th align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="baseline">Subject: </th>
<td>Two moons...</td>
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<th align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="baseline">Date: </th>
<td>Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:05:06 +0200</td>
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<th align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="baseline">From: </th>
<td>Hildegarde Mouton <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:hsmouton@gmail.com"><hsmouton@gmail.com></a></td>
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<th align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="baseline">To: </th>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:kg@saao.ac.za">kg@saao.ac.za</a></td>
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<br>
<br>
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<div>Hello Kevin,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>One of my friends (Etienne Koen, a NASSP student) forwarded me
your email concerning the "Two moons" on 27 August. I understand why
that is false, but I want to ask you something else. A couple of months
ago I watched a British quiz series, Quite Interesting, where they
unearth interesting facts and disprove facts that we grew up learning.
On one of the episodes they said that the Earth actually has two moons-
the one we know and one called "Cruithne". I just wanted to know if
that is in fact a second moon? </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Your help will be greatly appreciated seeing that I am now
thoroughly confused!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Kind regards,<br clear="all">
<br>
-- <br>
<strong>Hildegarde Mouton</strong><br>
M.Sc Applied Mathematics (1st year)<br>
University of Stellenbosch<br>
Stellenbosch<br>
South Africa<br>
<br>
Cell Phone: +27 (0)72 408 9566<br>
Alternative e-mail: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:hmouton@dip.sun.ac.za">hmouton@dip.sun.ac.za</a><br>
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