A bus-sized asteroid, named 2024 PT5, is set to become Earth's temporary mini-moon, orbiting our planet for approximately two months starting from September 29. The asteroid, discovered by NASA on August 7, originates from the Arjuna asteroid belt and will be caught in Earth's gravitational pull until November 25. After this period, it is expected to return to its home in the asteroid belt.
The phenomenon of temporary mini-moons is not uncommon, with objects flying through space often getting attracted to Earth's gravitational pull. However, this mini-moon will not complete a full orbit around Earth, instead following a "horseshoe path," according to Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, a professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, who spoke to The Los Angeles Times.
Despite its proximity, the asteroid will not be visible to the naked eye due to its small size and dimness. "The object is too small and dim for typical amateur telescopes and binoculars," Marcos told USA Today. However, it is within the brightness range of typical telescopes used by professional astronomers.
This mini-moon event provides a unique opportunity for astronomers to learn more about asteroids and the skies. Previous mini-moon events were short-lived and occurred in 1981 and 2022, according to a study published in the journal Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.