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Beiyin Research Group at Tsinghua University Discovers Lunar Impact Origin of "Oscillating Sky Star" 2016 HO3 - Tsinghua University

**Abstract:** On April 19, 2024, a research team led by Professor Baoyin from the School of Aerospace Engineering at Tsinghua University published a groundbreaking study in the journal *Nature Astronomy*, proposing that the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3, also known as "振荡天星" (Oscillating Celestial Star), originated from the Giordano Bruno impact crater on the far side of the Moon. This asteroid is a unique "mini-moon" that both orbits the Sun and maintains a quasi-satellite relationship with Earth, making it a prime target for China's upcoming "Tianwen-2" asteroid sample return mission. The team's hypothesis was sparked by the unusual reflectance spectrum of 2016 HO3, which closely resembles samples collected from the Moon during the Apollo missions, rather than typical asteroid compositions. By combining collision dynamics and lunar impact crater data, the researchers established a quantitative relationship between the size of impact craters and the high-speed escape of debris fragments. This allowed them to narrow down the potential source crater to a specific diameter range. Considering the orbital dynamics lifetime constraints of near-Earth asteroids, the team then simulated the long-term orbital evolution of lunar escape debris, confirming that the "young" Giordano Bruno crater is the only feasible and unique origin for 2016 HO3. The study represents a significant advancement in the understanding of the origin and evolution of near-Earth asteroids, potentially identifying a new class of lunar-origin asteroids. The findings carry important implications for future planetary exploration missions, particularly the "Tianwen-2" mission, which is expected to provide further validation of the research conclusions through direct sampling and analysis of 2016 HO3. The research team, comprising doctoral student Yifei Jiao as the first author, Professor Baoyin, and postdoctoral researcher Bin Cheng as co-corresponding authors, received support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Postdoctoral Innovative Talent Support Program. The publication, titled "Asteroid Kamo‘oalewa’s Journey from the Lunar Giordano Bruno Crater to Earth 1:1 Resonance," marks a critical step in linking the dynamics of lunar impacts to the formation and behavior of near-Earth objects. This discovery not only enhances our knowledge of the Moon's geological history and the processes that shape the near-Earth environment but also opens new avenues for studying the potential resource utilization of asteroids that have a lunar origin. The "Tianwen-2" mission, set to launch in the near future, will play a crucial role in verifying these findings and advancing our understanding of the solar system's dynamic processes.

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Beiyin Research Group at Tsinghua University Discovers Lunar Impact Origin of "Oscillating Sky Star" 2016 HO3 - Tsinghua University | Trending Stories | HyperAI