This fall, a mini-moon will accompany our planet in its orbit: asteroid 2024 PT5. Recently discovered by the ATLAS system in South Africa, this small asteroid will small asteroidThe asteroid, about the size of a bus, will be temporarily trapped by the Earth’s gravity for about two months.
An asteroid that will orbit the Earth
The asteroid 2024 PT5 was sighted for the first time last August 7 and astronomers have already calculated that it will begin to orbit the Earth on September 29. According to Carlos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid, this cosmic visitor will accompany our planet until November 25. During that period, the Earth will have two moons: the traditional one and this new mini-moon.
Although the news may excite astronomy enthusiasts, the astronomyUnfortunately, 2024 PT5 will be impossible to observe with the naked eye. Its small size and magnitude will make it invisible for telescopes telescopes.
Discovery of asteroid 2024 PT5. Source: Intelligent Minds
The origin of our new companion
The experts, in their article published in The Research Notes of the AAS, have determined that this asteroid belongs to the Arjuna family, a group of near-Earth bodies whose orbits are very similar to ours. Asteroids in this family are small and have trajectories that often coincide with that of our planet, which can generate temporary gravitational traps like this one.
This phenomenon, also described in the scientific publication, is not new. In 2006, a smaller asteroid named 2006 RH120 was captured by Earth’s gravity and remained in orbit for a year. More recently, another asteroid accompanied us until 2020 before continuing its journey through space.
When will we see the mini moon again?
Although this mini-moon will leave us at the end of November, it will not be the last we hear of it. According to astronomers’ calculations, asteroid 2024 PT5 will come close to Earth again in January 2025, and once more in 2055, thus repeating its brief visit.
For now, we will have to be content with knowing that, although we cannot see it, asteroid 2024 PT5 will be silently orbiting around us for two months, transforming our planet into a two-moon system for a while.
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Source: DW
Photo: Shutterstock
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