Stargazers are in for a celestial surprise this autumn. A small asteroid is set to be captured by Earth’s gravitational pull, temporarily becoming a “mini-moon.” This object will orbit the planet from September 29 to November 25 before escaping again.
The news has sparked excitement among stargazers and space enthusiasts eager to glimpse this cosmic visitor. However, the mini-moon, a small and dim rock, will not be visible to the naked eye. Viewing it will require professional equipment, as binoculars or home telescopes are insufficient.
According to Dr Jennifer Millard, host of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, professional telescopes will capture images of the mini-moon. “You’ll be able to see wonderful pictures online of this little dot speeding past the stars,” Millard told the BBC.
The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, originates from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which contains rocks with orbits similar to Earth’s. It was first detected on August 7 by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) and measures around 33 feet wide.
“It won’t complete a full revolution around Earth. Its orbit will be slightly altered by our planet before it continues on its way,” Millard explained.
Some asteroids get close to Earth, coming as near as 2.8 million miles (4.5 million km). If an asteroid, like 2024 PT5, moves at a relatively slow speed-around 2,200 mph (3,540 km/h)-Earth’s gravity can temporarily trap it, which is exactly what’s about to happen this weekend.
Mini-moons have been spotted before, and many more are likely to have gone unnoticed. Some even return for repeat visits, like asteroid 2022 NX1, which became a mini-moon in 1981 and again in 2022.
If you miss this event, don’t worry-2024 PT5 is expected to return to Earth’s orbit in 2055.
“This story shows just how busy our solar system is and how much remains undiscovered. This asteroid was only detected earlier this year,” Millard added.
