Posted: Sun, Jun 2, 2013, 8:28 AM ET (1228 GMT)
An asteroid that passed several million kilometers from the Earth on Friday has its own small moon. Radar observations of asteroid 1998 QE2 by NASA's Deep Space Network revealed the presence of the moon, about 600 meters across, orbiting the 2.7-kilometer asteroid. The observations took place shortly before the asteroid made a close approach to Earth, passing 5.8 million kilometers away, on May 31. The radar images also revealed dark features that could be large impact craters or other concavities on the surface of 1998 QE2.

Related Links:

•  New Scientist article
•  NBCNews.com article
•  Discovery.com article
•  AP article
•  NASA/JPL press release