Earth is about to gain a temporary companion in the form of a “mini-moon,” as a small asteroid, 2024 PT5, is set to orbit our planet for nearly two months. This asteroid, just 33 feet (10 meters) wide, was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in August and is believed to have originated from the Arjuna asteroid belt. Starting September 29, 2024, PT5 will orbit Earth until November 25 before breaking free from our planet’s gravitational pull. While Earth’s Moon has been a constant presence for billions of years, these temporary captures of small celestial bodies are rare, though not unprecedented.
In 2022, a similar event occurred when an object named 2022 NX 1 briefly orbited Earth before escaping. Asteroids like 2024 PT5, which come from the Near-Earth object (NEO) population, can sometimes be captured by Earth’s gravity and become mini-moons. These mini-moons are difficult for amateur astronomers to spot due to their small size and dimness. 2024 PT5 requires a powerful telescope with at least a 30-inch diameter and a CCD or CMOS detector for clear observation. Once 2024 PT5 leaves Earth’s orbit, it will return to the Arjuna belt, but astronomers believe it could make a return visit in 2025 and 2055, continuing its cycle around the Sun.
