'Second Mini Moon' to Temporarily Orbit Earth

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Facts

  • 2024 PT5, a 33-foot-long asteroid discovered in August, is reportedly set to make a “horseshoe path” around Earth, turning into its second moon from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25.[1]
  • Temporarily captured by Earth's gravity, 2024 PT5 reportedly belongs to the Arjuna asteroid belt and won't be visible to most stargazers given its small size.[2]
  • 2024 PT5 is reportedly among those asteroids of the Arjuna belt that become more affected by Earth’s gravity than usual because they move relatively slowly.[3]
  • Such an incoming asteroid is reportedly considered a mini-moon only when it reaches around 2.8M miles of Earth and has a velocity of around 2.2K miles per hour.[4]
  • According to Paul Chodas, director of NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, 2024 PT5 might be a fragment that broke off during an impact with the original moon.[5]
  • Researchers say that after completing its mini-moon phase, asteroid 2024 PT5 will leave Earth's neighborhood shortly after Jan. 9, 2025, to return next in 2055.[6]

Sources: [1]Washington Post, [2]Space.com, [3]Guardian, [4]USA Today, [5]Time and [6]Iopscience.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Woman's World. Asteroid 2024 PT5 is stirring excitement in the scientific community as it offers a rare chance to examine an asteroid at close range. While too small for casual stargazers to spot, it's well within reach of professional equipment. Despite its elusiveness to the naked eye, 2024 PT5 represents a captivating cosmic phenomenon, pushing the boundaries of our understanding and sparking curiosity about the mysteries that lurk in our celestial neighborhood.
  • Narrative B, as provided by New York Times. While Asteroid 2024 PT5 has captured attention, it's worth noting that Earth's mini-moon phenomenon is neither new nor uncommon. Our planet regularly attracts temporary satellites, with new ones appearing almost monthly. The 2020 CD3 discovery highlighted this recurring event. With improved technology, we are likely to detect these transient visitors more frequently. They're part of an ongoing celestial ballet.
  • Narrative C, as provided by Theweek. Asteroid 2024 PT5 reminds us of an even more fascinating chapter in Earth's cosmic history: an original second moon. Astronomers theorize that billions of years ago, Earth had two moons, born from the same cataclysmic collision that created our current satellite. While this remains speculative, it highlights the dynamic nature of our cosmic galaxy.

Predictions