The Arrival of Earth’s Newest Companion: A Mini Moon
Astronomers in Madrid recently made an exciting discovery — Earth is about to welcome a “mini moon” in the form of an asteroid. This space rock, known as 2024 PT5, is approximately the size of a school bus, measuring 33 feet (10 meters) in diameter. Initially spotted in August, this mini moon will temporarily become trapped by Earth’s gravity and begin orbiting our planet for approximately two months.
Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, notes that such mini moons are more common than we realize, with the last known one observed in 2020. Binzel explains, “This happens with some frequency, but we rarely see them because they’re very small and very hard to detect. Only recently has our survey capability reached the point of spotting them routinely.”
Despite its presence, 2024 PT5 won’t be visible to the naked eye or amateur telescopes. Researchers Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos published their discovery in a paper released by the American Astronomical Society. The exact origin of this space rock remains a mystery, as it’s unclear whether it originated as an asteroid or a fragment blasted from the moon.
For almost 57 days, the mini moon will gracefully circle the Earth before bidding us farewell on November 25, continuing its journey through the vast cosmos. Its next anticipated visit to Earth won’t be until 2055, making this a rare and fleeting celestial event that astronomers are eagerly observing.
