Sat Sep 14 21:07:54 UTC 2024: ## Earth to Get a Temporary “Mini-Moon” for Nearly Two Months

**Washington, D.C.** – Get ready for a celestial spectacle: Earth will soon have a temporary second moon for almost two months. This “mini-moon,” a small asteroid named **2024 PT5**, will be captured by Earth’s gravity between **September 29 and November 25**.

This celestial visitor was discovered by the **Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS)**, a NASA-funded system designed to warn of potential asteroid impacts. While it will be orbiting our planet, **2024 PT5** is not a permanent satellite like the moon, but rather a **temporarily captured flyby**.

According to researchers at the **University of Complutense Madrid**, who published their findings in the **Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society**, the asteroid has a diameter of just **10 meters (33 feet)**. It will follow a **horseshoe path** around Earth, a phenomenon common among **Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)** that have a low relative velocity to our planet.

This isn’t the first time Earth has had a temporary “mini-moon.” Previously, objects like **2006 RH120** remained in Earth’s orbit for a year, and **2020 CD3** stayed for several years before escaping.

The **2024 PT5** mini-moon is larger than any previous temporary companions, and its orbit is similar to that of **2022 NX1**, a confirmed natural object. Experts believe it originated from the **Arjuna asteroid belt**.

While 2024 PT5 won’t be visible to the naked eye, astronomers and space enthusiasts alike are excited about the opportunity to study this celestial visitor and gain further insights into the dynamics of our solar system.

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