Asteroid 2024 PT5 will temporarily orbit Earth, making it our second moon from September to November 2024.
Earth will have two moons for nearly two months, from September 29 to November 25. Alongside the Moon, asteroid 2024 PT5, classified as a “minimoon,” will orbit our planet.
What is a Minimoon?
Asteroid 2024 PT5 was discovered on August 7, 2024, through the ATLAS system. At only 10 meters in diameter, it’s too small and faint to be observed with the naked eye. Asteroids occasionally come close to Earth, but it’s rare for one to be captured into orbit.
How Asteroids Become Minimoons
Several factors, like speed and proximity to Earth, must align for an asteroid to become a temporary moon. Asteroid 2024 PT5 will orbit Earth briefly before continuing its journey through space.
History of Minimoons
Only two other asteroids—2006 RH120 and 2020 CD3—have been documented as temporary moons. Asteroid 2024 PT5 will return to the asteroid belt after its close encounter, revisiting Earth in 2055.