In an intriguing celestial event, Earth will temporarily acquire a new “moon” starting September 29, 2024.
This short-term lunar companion will be a small asteroid named 2024 PT5, which was first identified on August 7 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). Although this temporary mini-moon will orbit Earth for nearly two months, its small size and low brightness mean it will be virtually invisible to the naked eye.
Asteroid 2024 PT5 measures about 33 feet (10 meters) in diameter. It will complete a single, wide orbit around Earth over a 53-day period, exiting our planet’s gravitational influence on November 25, 2024. During this time, 2024 PT5 will not be visible to most observers due to its faint magnitude of 22, far beyond the visibility range of amateur telescopes.
This phenomenon, while fleeting, provides a valuable opportunity for scientists to study the gravitational interactions between Earth and small celestial objects. Past instances of such temporary mini-moons have occurred, including one in 2006 that orbited Earth for approximately a year and another that remained in orbit until 2020. The current observation of 2024 PT5 adds to our understanding of these rare occurrences.
The asteroid is likely part of the Arjuna group, a collection of near-Earth objects with orbits similar to Earth’s. Researchers Carlos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos from Universidad Complutense de Madrid have suggested that the asteroid’s short-term orbit is consistent with its natural origin, rather than being artificial debris.
While the asteroid’s brief stay will not offer a visual spectacle, it holds significance for astronomical research and potential future space missions. Observations of such mini-moons can enhance our knowledge of asteroid dynamics and gravitational effects, which are crucial for both planetary defense and resource exploration in space.
After its departure in late November, 2024 PT5 is expected to return to its solar orbit and will not pass near Earth again until January 9, 2025.
Gizmodo, Phys.org, the New York Times, and The Daily Galaxy contributed to this report.
