Our planet has had an unexpected celestial companion for the past month: a temporary ‘mini moon’ named ‘2024 PT5.’ This small asteroid, measuring approximately 33 feet wide, has been circling Earth at a distance nine times farther than our actual moon.
While it’s been a fascinating sight for astronomers, ‘2024 PT5’ is not truly a moon in the traditional sense. It won’t be captured by Earth’s gravitational pull and is expected to depart in late November, continuing its solo journey through the cosmos. However, it’s slated to return for another close pass in 2055.
NASA plans to track ‘2024 PT5’ using the Goldstone Solar System Radar in California, particularly during its next close approach in January 2025, when it will be five times farther from Earth than the Moon. Despite its short-lived residency, scientists are intrigued by the asteroid’s potential origins.
Experts at NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies suspect that ‘2024 PT5’ could be a large piece of rock ejected from the Moon’s surface after an asteroid impact long ago. This hypothesis has gained traction after the asteroid’s motion was analyzed, ruling out the possibility of it being a leftover rocket body from past launches.
‘2024 PT5’ was first spotted in August by astronomers at Complutense University of Madrid, using a powerful telescope in South Africa. Notably, these temporary ‘mini moons’ are more common than previously thought, with the last one observed in 2020. However, ‘2024 PT5’ won’t be visible to the naked eye or through amateur telescopes. Astronomer Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, one of the discoverers of the ‘mini moon,’ explained that it can only be observed using large, research-grade telescopes.
This celestial encounter provides a unique opportunity for scientists to study the properties of asteroids and learn more about the history of our solar system. As ‘2024 PT5’ prepares to depart, we can look forward to its return in 2055 and the further insights it might offer.
