Washington DC: A small asteroid, designated 2024 PT5, is poised to enter Earth’s orbit and will serve as a temporary ‘mini-moon’. The transient visitor, known as 2024 PT5, is set to appear in our skies from 29th of September till a span of about 2 months.
About the size of a double-decker bus, 2024 PT5 is expected to remain in orbit for about 57dayas before being ejected by the Sun’s gravitational pull. The asteroid, around 10 meters wide, was discovered through Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS).
Researchers stated that, “2024 PT5 will circle the Earth one time before it escapes back into space, this event is known as the temporary flyby, it’s because it won’t complete a full orbit. In contrast, mini-moons that do complete a full orbit are known as temporarily captured orbiters.”
2024 PT5 is categorized as a near-Earth object (NEO), which refers to a group of space rocks that frequently pass by Earth. Astronomers monitor NEOs to assess any potential threats they may pose in the future. However, experts believe that 2024 PT5 is unlikely to represent such a risk.
NASA defines a ‘near-Earth object’ (NEO) as any space object that comes within approximately 120 million miles (190 million kilometers) of Earth. Among these, larger objects that come within 4.7 million miles (7.5 million kilometers) are classified as ‘potentially hazardous’. This classification helps scientists monitor NEOs for any potential threats they may pose to our planet in the future.
2024 PT5 was initially discovered in August of last year, just one day before it made a close approach to Earth, coming within 353,200 miles (568,500 km) of our planet. This asteroid is part of the Arjuna asteroid belt, a collection of space rocks in the solar system that orbit the Sun.
Can we see?
2024 PT5 will not be visible to the naked eye and can only be observed using telescopes operated by professional astronomers. Researchers noted that, while mini-moons are relatively common, their visibility is rare due to their small size, faint brightness, and rapid movement.
This isn’t the first time Earth has welcomed a mini-moon. Four years ago, astronomers identified another temporary satellite, named 2020 CD3, which orbited our planet for over a year. This mini-moon was detected in 2020 and provided valuable insights into the dynamics of small celestial bodies near Earth.
Although 2024 PT5 is a temporary visitor, Earth will not see the last of this mini-moon. Scientists predict that it will re-enter our orbit in 2055, allowing astronomers another opportunity to study this celestial object. Such predictions are made possible by tracking the orbits of near-Earth objects (NEOs) to forecast their future paths.