Earth to have new mini-moon for two months
phys.org
phys.org
Considering this one is 10 meters across and the surface texture of the moon is dominated by impact craters, it seems very likely over time.
>>Meaning for the planet?
For these types not much, but you do raise a good point that a large asteroid or incoming rock has two targets that could affect the planet. Missing the earth but knocking the moon into a different orbit could have a variety of significant consequences, depending of course on the magnitude and direction of change...
They better be careful, though, or else we'll have another Pluto situation where we try to classify something and end up classifying it out of its own category.
1. We know 9 planets in the Sol solar system
2. Oh shit, there are way more of those small ones, where do we draw the line? Is there a thing differenciating a big asteroid from a planet?
3. Let's go with (a) is in orbit around the Sun, (b) has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape, and (c) has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.
4. Pluto doesn't satisfy (c)
5. People get angry without proposing their own criteria
c. Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit excepting Pluto.