Sat Sep 14 18:57:46 UTC 2024: ## Earth to Briefly Gain a Mini-Moon in Rare Celestial Event
**Washington D.C., USA:** Earth is set to become a temporary “double planet” this fall as a small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will briefly orbit our planet. This rare celestial event, predicted to occur from September 29 to November 25, will provide scientists with a unique opportunity to study mini-moons and gravitational interactions.
Discovered on August 7, 2024 PT5 is an asteroid approximately 33 feet (10 meters) in diameter. Its slow speed and close proximity to Earth will allow our planet’s gravity to briefly change its course, turning it into a temporary mini-moon. After orbiting Earth for two months, 2024 PT5 will break free from our gravitational pull and return to orbiting the Sun.
“Near-Earth objects (NEOs) that follow horseshoe paths, and approach our planet at close range and low relative velocity, may undergo mini-moon events,” explained a paper published by the American Astronomical Society.
While Earth has hosted mini-moons in the past, 2024 PT5 will be too faint to be seen with the naked eye or most amateur telescopes. Only advanced observatories will be able to detect this celestial visitor, which has a magnitude of 22.
Despite its small size and brief stay, 2024 PT5 presents a valuable opportunity for scientists to gain insights into the movement of near-Earth objects. By observing the asteroid’s interaction with Earth’s gravity, astronomers can improve their understanding of gravitational forces and potentially enhance predictions for future asteroid encounters.
This event echoes the discovery of 2022 NX1, another short-lived mini-moon captured by Earth’s gravity. That asteroid, discovered by Grzegorz Duszanowicz and Jordi Camarasa, last came close to Earth in January 1981 and is expected to return as a temporary satellite in December 2051.
First Piper 