Scientists have confirmed that Earth has temporarily captured a “second moon”—a tiny asteroid named 2024 PT5. This asteroid, measuring about 37 feet wide, was pulled into Earth’s orbit on September 29, 2024. Although it sounds extraordinary, these “mini-moon” events are more common than one might think. Asteroids like 2024 PT5, which belong to the Arjuna asteroid belt, can occasionally be drawn into Earth’s gravitational field due to their close orbits and relatively slow velocities.
This specific mini-moon will not remain with Earth for long. According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 2024 PT5 will break free from Earth’s gravity and continue its journey around the sun by November 25, 2024. During its brief stay, the asteroid will not complete a full orbit around Earth but will instead resemble a “window shopper,” according to Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, an expert on mini-moons.
The size of 2024 PT5 is drastically smaller than Earth’s permanent moon, which is about 2,159 miles in diameter. In fact, the asteroid is over 300,000 times smaller, making it invisible to the naked eye. Amateur astronomers won’t be able to spot it either, as it requires advanced telescopes at professional observatories for any chance of observation. Despite this, mini-moons like 2024 PT5 offer exciting opportunities for scientists to study near-Earth objects and the dynamics of our solar system.
Though fleeting, these gravitational captures allow researchers to gain valuable insights into the nature of asteroids. Scientists have recorded several similar events in the past, making 2024 PT5 one of many temporary mini-moons. Once it departs from Earth’s orbit, it will return to its path around the sun, remaining part of the Arjuna asteroid belt.
The Cosmic Visitor’s Brief Stay
Earth’s new mini-moon may be small and temporary, but it highlights the dynamic interactions between our planet and nearby space objects. As 2024 PT5 prepares to continue its journey around the sun, scientists will keep studying these fascinating celestial events, which shed light on how our solar system operates and offer clues about future space exploration possibilities. While invisible to most of us, this mini-moon is a reminder of the constant activity in Earth’s cosmic neighborhood.
