China's probe "Tianwen-2" successfully approaches Kamo'oalewa, Earth's "hidden moon"

Explanation

On July 4, 2026, China's asteroid probe "Tianwen-2" approached "Kamo'oalewa," a quasi-satellite orbiting close to Earth, and sent back the first clear images. Kamo'oalewa is a tiny body only about 27 meters in diameter that orbits the Sun in about 365.77 days while remaining near Earth, earning it the nickname "Earth's second moon." Tianwen-2 gradually narrowed its distance and is now continuing observations at a distance of about 20 km. It plans to collect samples and bring them back to Earth in the latter half of 2027.