Searching Eos

Scientists have come up with the theory that the current Earth-Moon system is not a direct result of the collision of a Mars-sized object with the young Earth but that for some time there have been two moons that eventually and considerably after the collision themselves collided to form our current Moon. Chances are that NASA’s GRAIL mission will be able to answer the question whether Eos actually existed.

“Eos?” you ask? I must admit that this is just my idea for naming this former celestial body; however, in Greek mythology, Eos is the sister of Luna and the goddess of dawn. The name seems to be perfect as Luna is associated with the Moon and the lost celestial body dates back to the dawn of Earth’s history. Moreover, in antiquity Eos was not associated with an actual celestial body.

ScienceCast: Did Earth Have Two Moons?