Earth's New Mini Moon: Asteroid 2024 PT5 to Orbit for Two Months

Earth is about to gain a mini moon, an asteroid named 2024 PT5. It's approximately the size of a school bus and will be temporarily captured by Earth's gravity, orbiting the planet for about two months. Discovered by astronomers in August, this phenomenon occurs frequently but is rarely detected due to the small size of these asteroids.

Earth is soon to receive a cosmic visitor — a mini moon. The mini moon, an asteroid known as 2024 PT5 and about the size of a school bus, will be temporarily trapped by Earth's gravity when it passes by this Sunday.

This space rock, first discovered in August by astronomers at Complutense University of Madrid, will circle the globe for about two months. Although too small to see with the naked eye or amateur telescopes, it can be observed with large, research-grade instruments.

Richard Binzel, an astronomer at MIT, noted that these short-lived mini moons are more common than realized, with the last one detected in 2020. After its brief orbit, 2024 PT5 will depart from Earth on November 25 and is projected to pass by again in 2055.

(With inputs from agencies.)