The long-lost twin of the moon has been spotted trailing behind Mars, according to a new study. Scientists from the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP) in Northern Ireland used the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to study the space rock. L4 is ahead of Mars and L5, where VF31 is, sits behind MarsDr Christou studied the space rock with a technique called spectral matching. Although the researchers are unable to say conclusively that the space rock is a fragment of the moon, the evidence is convincing. Previous studies show that for a rock to escape the moon's gravity, it would have to be travelling at 2.4 km/s (5,368 mph).

Source: Daily Mail November 03, 2020 14:00 UTC