Earth’s Temporary Mini-Moon

• 20 Sep 2024

Source: IE

A recent study indicates that Earth's gravitational field is expected to temporarily capture a small asteroid, called 2024 PT5, by late September 2024.

• Mini-Moon:It refers to small asteroids that are temporarily captured by Earth's gravitational pull, resulting in short-term orbital paths around the planet. These celestial bodies are typically minute in size and often elude detection. 
  • This phenomenon is rare, as in most cases, asteroids either miss the planet or burn up upon entering Earth's atmosphere.
  • Only four mini-moons have ever been discovered, and none are still orbiting Earth. Some of these may have been mistaken for space debris, like the Gaia spacecraft or rocket stages from past missions.
• 2024 PT5:
  • It was detected by NASA. It will contribute to advancing scientific understanding of near-Earth asteroids, particularly those that frequently approach or occasionally impact the planet.

Read More: Space Missions in 2024, International Asteroid Day