- Asteroid 2026 QQ8 has become Earth's latest temporary mini-moon after being captured by the planet's gravitational pull in April.
- Discovered by Hungarian astronomer Kriztián Sárneczky, the space rock will complete one and a half orbits before escaping in 2027.
- Measuring around two metres in diameter, the asteroid poses no threat to Earth as it would burn up in the atmosphere if on a collision course.
- At its closest approach, the mini-moon will be approximately 568,000 kilometres from Earth, about 1.5 times the distance to the Moon.
- Scientists note that temporary mini-moons are relatively common, with up to six space rocks orbiting Earth at any given time.
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