• threelonmusketeers
    link
    fedilink
    English
    14
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    orbits it and the sun at the same time

    Specifically, it’s in one of the stable Lagrange points. (L4 or L5)

    Edit: It’s in a horseshoe orbit, not at a Lagrange point.

    • teft
      link
      1010 months ago

      Its not at any lagrange points. 2002 VE68 is a quasi-satellite in a semi stable horseshoe shaped orbit. Its trapped in a 1:1 mean-motion resonance with venus so it appears to orbit venus if youre looking at it from a venusian frame of reference but it actually orbits the sun in a highly elliptical orbit. The thing goes nearly to the earths orbit and then almost mercury’s orbit. If it were a trojan it would stay pretty much inside venus’ orbital path with a bit of wandering around the lagrange point.