It is a “two-for-one” moon special
The latest astronomy headlines are all abuzz about the newly discovered asteroid 2024 PT5 that is currently orbiting Earth until November 25. Why is this mini moon so special?
What is a mini moon?
It’s a temporary natural satellite, typically an asteroid or comet, that is pulled into a planet’s sphere of gravity for a short time before returning to its original orbit around the sun. Asteroid 2024 PT5 came from the Arjuna asteroid belt, a group of small asteroids.
How was 2024 PT discovered?
Scientists discovered the asteroid August 7 using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS. Developed by the University of Hawaii and funded by NASA, ATLAS has four telescopes — two in Hawaii, one in Chile and one in South Africa.
What are asteroid 2024 PT5’s characteristics?
About the size of a dishwasher, the 33-foot diameter space rock space is traveling in a horseshoe-shaped path that won’t make a full orbit. Even though it’s the largest captured object discovered to date, it’s not visible to the naked eye nor with small telescopes.
Will this one return?
Because it is part of the Arjuna asteroid belt orbiting the sun, the mini moon is expected to make a future flyby visit around Earth as soon as January 2025, and again in 2055.