In just a few days, a mysterious visitor from deep space will approach Earth. However, it will not stay long.
The object, known as 2024 PT5, was first detected on August 7 by a telescope in South Africa. This 10-meter-wide asteroid is expected to come within half a million kilometers of our planet. It belongs to the “Arjuna” family of asteroids that orbit the sun alongside Earth. At approximately 4 P.M. EDT on September 29, 2024 PT5 will be about 1.5 million kilometers away. It will enter a curved path influenced by Earth’s gravity, becoming a temporary satellite—a mini moon.
This brief encounter will not allow 2024 PT5 to complete a full orbit. By November 25, the sun’s gravitational pull will reclaim it, sending it back to its regular heliocentric path with other Arjuna asteroids.
In the discovery paper by de la Fuente Marcos and his brother, Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, four other mini moons are noted: 1991 VG, 2022 NX1, 2006 RH120, and 2020 CD3. The first two objects are similar to 2024 PT5. They have been observed briefly in Earth’s orbit before being pulled away. These “flyby” mini moons are thought to occur several times each decade, though many go unnoticed. The latter two have orbited Earth for over a year, making them rare.
Speculation about the artificial origins of mini moons has arisen. In some cases, this speculation has been confirmed. For example, 2020 SO was later identified as the discarded upper stage of a rocket from NASA’s Surveyor 2 mission in 1966. Initially, 1991 VG was suspected to be an alien probe, but further analysis showed its natural origins.
Natural mini moons are considered exciting targets for future exploration. Their occasional close approaches make them reachable from Earth. Currently, 2024 PT5 and similar objects are too faint for standard telescopes. Carlos de la Fuente Marcos stated that a telescope of at least 30 inches (76.2 cm) in diameter is needed to capture an image.
If disappointment arises from missing a glimpse of this faint object, there is hope for the future. Based on 122 orbital measurements, 2024 PT5 is expected to be captured by Earth again in 2055. This offers plenty of time for observation planning. It is suggested that this object also became a mini moon in 1960, though it was unnoticed then. For those eager to observe, mini moons are relatively common, with varying durations.
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