A powerful cosmic object is on its way to reach Earth. Named 2024 PT5, this asteroid will pass by us very briefly.
Invisible to the human eye, this mini-moon will nevertheless be quite real, catching the attention of astronomers by the end of September.
Found in August by the ATLAS system, 2024 PT5 is an asteroid just 33 feet (10 meters) in size. Researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid claim that between September 29 to November 25 it will be momentarily caught by the gravity of Earth. During this phase, it will complete a single full circle before breaking away for good.
Despite its small size, this asteroid is exciting the scientific community. Although amateur astronomers won't be able to see it without very advanced tools, its passing offers a unique chance to investigate an unusual occurrence. This will be only the fourth mini-moon Earth has seen in a century.
Previous such occurrences include a more recent one in 2020 and a mini-moon in 2006, which stayed in orbit for over a year. Space objects like 2024 PT5 are occasionally trapped by Earth's gravity but typically escape before completing a complete rotation.
This asteroid could come from the Arjuna asteroids, a collection with orbits near those of Earth. Another such object, 2022 NX1, too momentarily became a mini-moon in 2022. Though unusual, this sort of asteroid is not wholly unprecedented.
For those wanting to get a glimpse of 2024 PT5, patience is important. It will travel near to Earth again on January 9, 2025, before flying back into the depths of space. After this date, its reappearance isn't projected until 2055.
What is a mini-moon?
A mini-moon is a minor astronomical object momentarily trapped by Earth's gravity. Unlike the Moon, it stays in orbit for just a few months. These asteroids are frequently tiny, often few meters (a few feet) in diameter, and therefore hard to notice.
Mini-moons follow intricate paths. They typically originate from locations near Earth, such as the Arjuna asteroid belt. While they may be held by Earth's gravity, they ultimately escape, sometimes after completing one or two complete rotations around our planet.
Mini-moons are uncommon. Their travels give unique possibilities for astronomers to examine tiny objects near Earth. Observations of these occurrences assist increase our knowledge of the gravitational interactions between Earth and space objects.
What distinguishes a quasi-moon from a mini-moon?
Quasi-moons and mini-moons are two sorts of celestial objects that interact with Earth, but their behaviors differ.
A quasi-moon (or quasi-satellite) follows a trajectory similar to Earth's around the Sun. It does not circle Earth, yet its velocity makes it seem to follow our globe for years, if not millennia. One example is the asteroid 2023 FW13, which has been following Earth for thousands of years. Quasi-moons are never trapped by Earth's gravity.
Related: What scientific phenomena could explain seeing two moons in the sky?
A mini-moon, on the other hand, is momentarily trapped by Earth's gravity. It truly circles Earth's atmosphere but for a very brief period, ranging from a few months to a year, before departing. Unlike quasi-moons, mini-moons complete one or two short orbits around the earth, such the asteroid 2024 PT5, which will stay in orbit for two months before departing.
In summary, the key distinction is that quasi-moons follow a course similar to Earth's around the Sun without being held by Earth's gravity, whereas mini-moons are momentarily captured and short circle Earth.
Anonymous 
A powerful cosmic object is on its way to reach Earth. Named 2024 PT5, this asteroid will pass by us very briefly.
Invisible to the human eye, this mini-moon will nevertheless be quite real, catching the attention of astronomers by the end of September.
Found in August by the ATLAS system, 2024 PT5 is an asteroid just 33 feet (10 meters) in size. Researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid claim that between September 29 to November 25 it will be momentarily caught by the gravity of Earth. During this phase, it will complete a single full circle before breaking away for good.
Despite its small size, this asteroid is exciting the scientific community. Although amateur astronomers won't be able to see it without very advanced tools, its passing offers a unique chance to investigate an unusual occurrence. This will be only the fourth mini-moon Earth has seen in a century.
Previous such occurrences include a more recent one in 2020 and a mini-moon in 2006, which stayed in orbit for over a year. Space objects like 2024 PT5 are occasionally trapped by Earth's gravity but typically escape before completing a complete rotation.
This asteroid could come from the Arjuna asteroids, a collection with orbits near those of Earth. Another such object, 2022 NX1, too momentarily became a mini-moon in 2022. Though unusual, this sort of asteroid is not wholly unprecedented.
For those wanting to get a glimpse of 2024 PT5, patience is important. It will travel near to Earth again on January 9, 2025, before flying back into the depths of space. After this date, its reappearance isn't projected until 2055.
What is a mini-moon?
A mini-moon is a minor astronomical object momentarily trapped by Earth's gravity. Unlike the Moon, it stays in orbit for just a few months. These asteroids are frequently tiny, often few meters (a few feet) in diameter, and therefore hard to notice.
Mini-moons follow intricate paths. They typically originate from locations near Earth, such as the Arjuna asteroid belt. While they may be held by Earth's gravity, they ultimately escape, sometimes after completing one or two complete rotations around our planet.
Mini-moons are uncommon. Their travels give unique possibilities for astronomers to examine tiny objects near Earth. Observations of these occurrences assist increase our knowledge of the gravitational interactions between Earth and space objects.
What distinguishes a quasi-moon from a mini-moon?
Quasi-moons and mini-moons are two sorts of celestial objects that interact with Earth, but their behaviors differ.
A quasi-moon (or quasi-satellite) follows a trajectory similar to Earth's around the Sun. It does not circle Earth, yet its velocity makes it seem to follow our globe for years, if not millennia. One example is the asteroid 2023 FW13, which has been following Earth for thousands of years. Quasi-moons are never trapped by Earth's gravity.
Related: What scientific phenomena could explain seeing two moons in the sky?
A mini-moon, on the other hand, is momentarily trapped by Earth's gravity. It truly circles Earth's atmosphere but for a very brief period, ranging from a few months to a year, before departing. Unlike quasi-moons, mini-moons complete one or two short orbits around the earth, such the asteroid 2024 PT5, which will stay in orbit for two months before departing.
In summary, the key distinction is that quasi-moons follow a course similar to Earth's around the Sun without being held by Earth's gravity, whereas mini-moons are momentarily captured and short circle Earth.