Space & Astronomy

Our planet will gain a temporary 'mini-moon' this month

By T.K. Randall
September 24, 2024

Image: Earth and Universe
Credit: Pablo Carlos Budassi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) You would be forgiven for thinking that the Moon is the one and only natural satellite ever to orbit around our planet, but now and again something else comes along that becomes a moon in its own right - at least for a brief period of time anyway.

Beginning on September 29th, a small asteroid dubbed 2024 PT5 will become a 'mini-moon' as it enters into orbit around the Earth before heading off into the void once again on November 25th.Such a scenario occurs when our planet's gravity pulls objects into full or partial orbits before flinging them back off into the depths of space - something that has happened countless times before.

2024 PT5, which was discovered only last month by scientists with the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System, measures a mere 10 meters in width and could in fact be a fragment of the Moon itself.

After it leaves us, researchers believe that we won't see it again until 2055.


Source: Independent

Tags: Earth, Moon