Earth to host a ‘second moon’ for two months starting end of September

According to the study published in the journal Research Notes of the AAS (RNAAS), Earth will get a second mini-moon in the form of an asteroid for a period of two months, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

Asteroid 2024 PT5, which was discovered on August 7 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa, is approximately 10 meters in size. From September 29 to November 25, it will be grasped by the gravitational field of the Earth. During this time, it will orbit the planet in a manner similar to that of a miniature moon. However, the asteroid will not complete a full orbit around the Earth, returning to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Professor Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, the lead author of the research, has stated that such phenomena are rare. For hours, days, or months, near-Earth objects (NEOs) that follow horseshoe trajectories and approach Earth at close range with low relative velocity can temporarily become mini-moons, despite not completing a full orbit around the planet.

Although being a rare occurrence, this is not the first time Earth has gained a second moon, as the authors additionally note in the research: 2022 NX1 was a mini-moon in 1981 and 2022, and now it will be the recently discovered 2024 PT5.

The now highly awaited mini-moon is expected to leave after 56 days, but scientists expect it to re-enter Earth's orbit in 2055.