A peculiar quasi-satellite of Earth has been named after the goddess of door hinges (photo).

In 2004, astronomers discovered a new near-Earth asteroid with a diameter between 160 and 360 meters (the exact size could not be determined), designated as 2004 GU9. It turned out that this asteroid is a quasi-satellite of Earth and will orbit our planet for approximately another 600 years. Recently, as a result of a contest organized by the International Astronomical Union, this quasi-satellite has received an official name, reports Space.

The Earth’s quasi-satellite 2004 GU9 is now named Cardea, after the ancient Roman goddess of door hinges. This unusual name was given to the object by Clay Chilcutt, a student at Georgia State University, USA, who won the naming contest organized by the International Astronomical Union and the creators of the popular science program Radiolab on a New York radio station.

Quasi-satellites are asteroids that orbit the Sun in such a way that they also orbit the Earth. These asteroids can remain as quasi-satellites of our planet for hundreds of years until their orbits change.

Chilcutt explained that he named the quasi-satellite 2004 GU9 Cardea because this object has a "unique orbital path, existing in a transitional state between a moon and an asteroid."

"The name Cardea symbolizes change and transition between worlds. It reflects the unique orbital path, embodying the celestial gateway between Earth and space," Chilcutt stated.

Among the judges of the naming contest was also Radiolab co-host Latif Nasser, who last year named the lunar quasi-satellite designated 2002 VE. Nasser named this asteroid, discovered in 2002, Zoozve. In fact, Zoozve is a lettered version of 2002 VE, if you visualize the twos as the letter Z and the zeros as the letter O.