New “Mini-Moon” to Visit Earth Asteroid 2024 PT5 Set for Brief Stay

Stargazers and space enthusiasts have a new reason to be excited this autumn, as Earth is set to briefly capture a small asteroid turning it into a temporary “mini-moon” from September 29 to November 25. The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will be pulled into Earth’s gravitational field, sparking interest from the astronomical community. Unfortunately, due to its small size and lack of brightness, the mini-moon won’t be visible to the naked eye or through ordinary telescopes.
Asteroid 2024 PT5, measuring about 33 feet wide, hails from the Arjuna asteroid belt and was first detected on August 7 by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). Dr. Jennifer Millard, host of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, explained that while the asteroid won’t be visible to amateur astronomers, professional telescopes will capture stunning images of it. “You’ll be able to see wonderful pictures online of this little dot speeding past the stars,” Millard told the BBC.
Despite its brief visit, 2024 PT5 won’t complete a full revolution around Earth. “Its orbit will be slightly altered by our planet before it continues on its way,” Millard noted. These mini-moons, such as the upcoming asteroid, are captured due to their relatively slow speeds. 2024 PT5 will be traveling at around 2,200 mph (3,540 km/h), which allows Earth’s gravity to temporarily trap it.
This isn’t the first time Earth has caught a mini-moon. Previous asteroids, like 2022 NX1, have visited multiple times, and many others likely go unnoticed. For those who miss this event, there’s good news 2024 PT5 is expected to return in 2055.
“This story shows just how busy our solar system is and how much remains undiscovered,” Millard added, highlighting the excitement of capturing new celestial visitors.
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