Earth probably has groupies. A revolving door of tiny space rocks, or "mini moons," might flit around our planet, and Robert Jedicke is determined to find them. "Only one is known," Jedicke said August 3. "It's not fictional." With just one temporary tagalong in hand, though, researchers have relied on computer simulations to learn about these visitors from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The one discovered in 2006 - roughly 3 meters wide (enormous by presumed mini moon standards) - orbited Earth for about a year. These elusive satellites are tantalizing targets for scoping out asteroids (SN: 8/23/14, p. 22) without having to go too far from home.
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