Earth’s Uninvited Guests: How Asteroids Become Our Temporary ‘Mini Moons

Earth’s New “Mini-Moon”: Asteroid 2024 PT5 to be Trapped in Orbit

Posted on: 2024-09-16 20:08

Scientists Discover New Asteroid to Become Earth’s Temporary Satellite

According to a recent report, a newly discovered asteroid, 2024 PT5, will become trapped in Earth’s orbit by gravity this month and serve as the planet’s “mini-moon” for approximately two months.

The near-Earth asteroid, discovered on August 7, has a diameter of about 10 meters and has been studied by two astronomers from the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain.

Researchers found that the asteroid will remain trapped in Earth’s orbit from September 29 to November 25, before returning to its orbit around the sun to continue its journey through the solar system.

A Temporary Addition to Earth’s Satellites

During this 56.6-day period, 2024 PT5 will become a “mini moon” due to the constraints of Earth’s gravity, serving as the second satellite in addition to the Moon.

View the 2024 PT5 track plan to learn more about its orbit.

Classification and Visibility

2024 PT5 is classified as an Arjuna asteroid, a near-Earth object with an orbit similar to Earth’s. With an absolute magnitude of 27.6, it is very faint and cannot be observed with most amateur telescopes.

Previous “Mini-Moons” and Future Orbits

Asteroid 2022 NX1 was previously captured by Earth’s gravity in 1981 and 2022, becoming a short-lived “mini moon.” Astronomers predict it will return in 2051.

2024 PT5 is expected to serve as a “mini moon” multiple times, with predicted returns in January 2025 and 2055.

Research and Publication

The results of this research have been published in the journal Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.