A brand new mini-moon the scale of a metropolis bus will quickly be circling our planet and hanging out in our skies till Thanksgiving week. An asteroid named 2024 PT5 will enter Earth’s orbit this week, get caught there from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25, after which fly away into the photo voltaic system.
Scientists name such phenomena mini-moons. The asteroid was discovered by a gaggle referred to as ATLAS, which stands for Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Final Alert System, in August. The researchers who discovered it printed a nonpeer-reviewed examine in regards to the asteroid.
Some previous mini-moons, similar to this one from 2020, have been found to be random items of house junk. The 2020 mini-moon was finally recognized as a rocket booster from the 1966 Surveyor 2 Centaur launch. However ATLAS experiences this upcoming mini-moon is prone to be an actual asteroid, which is solely outlined as a small, rocky object that orbits the solar.
Novice astronomer Tony Dunn posted a simulation to X of what the asteroid’s path will appear like. 2024 PT5 has already been close to Earth since July.
Through the occasion, the asteroid’s geocentric power will turn out to be unfavorable and stay that approach for 56.6 days. In Dunn’s simulation, the orbit is proven because the purple line, and it solely circles about 25% of the Earth.
The asteroid will not full a full orbit of Earth, so some astronomers confer with it as a briefly captured flyby. Mini-moons that do full a complete orbit of Earth are known as briefly captured orbiters.
Do not count on to see the mini-moon
It is unlikely you will see the mini-moon. NASA says absolutely the magnitude of 2024 PT5 is 27.593. Meaning it is fairly dim and will not be seen even you probably have a telescope. For reference, the dimmest magnitude that’s seen to the bare eye at night time is round 6.5 and a 12-inch telescope can see objects with a magnitude of round 16 or 17. Meaning beginner astronomers are going to have to sit down this one out because you’d want a a lot bigger telescope to see 2024 PT5.
Mini-moons aren’t notably uncommon. We see them nearly yearly. Earth had a mini-moon in 2022 because of the peculiar flight path of the 2022 YG asteroid. One other one appeared in 2020 courtesy of the 2020 CD3 asteroid. A few of them are even shiny sufficient to see with beginner astronomy devices.
Many asteroids come again time and again for repeat visits as effectively. The 2022 NX1 asteroid turned a mini-moon in 1981 and 2022. It is scheduled to make its return in 2051. Among the best examples is 2006 RH120, which orbited Earth for a complete yr between July 2006 and July 2007. The phenomenon is so constant that some researchers declare that Earth at all times has a mini-moon lurking round someplace.
