Our planet’s Moon is 2,000-miles across and Earth’s lunar orb has orbited us for four billion years.
A minimoon is in contrast only a few feet across and can be attracted to Earth for less than a year.
The space rock will then resume its life as an asteroid or falling to Earth as a spectacular meteor fireball.
Researchers from Australia’s Curtin University have revealed these celestial objects can be a vitally important sub-population of near-Earth objects.
The scientists claim it is important they are studied as they are close to Earth so make the easiest targets for future sample-return, redirection, or asteroid mining missions.