Will It Be Visible With The Naked Eye Or Telescope From September 29 To November 25
By the end of September, Earth will welcome a temporary cosmic guest—a small asteroid named 2024 PT5. This tiny space rock will be captured by the gravity of the planet for a brief period before continuing its orbit around the sun. Known as a “mini moon,” this phenomenon is set to last from September 29 to November 25, 2024, as per reports. Despite the allure of this celestial event, spotting the mini moon will be challenging for most observers due to its small size.
What is a mini moon?
A mini moon is a small celestial body, usually an asteroid, that becomes temporarily ensnared by Earth’s gravitational pull. Such events are relatively common, occurring every few decades. Discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on August 7, 2024 PT5 is the latest to be drawn into Earth’s orbit. Measuring just 33 feet (10 metres) in diameter, this asteroid is too small to be seen without specialised equipment. It will complete one orbit around Earth before escaping our planet’s gravity and resuming its path around the sun.
Mini moons are typically captured from the Near-Earth Object (NEO) population, which includes asteroids and other celestial bodies that come close to our planet. NASA defines a near-Earth object as any space object that comes within 120 million miles (190 million kilometres) of Earth, with objects within 4.7 million miles (7.5 million kilometres) classified as potentially hazardous.
Fortunately, 2024 PT5 poses no threat to Earth. As an Apollo-class NEO, it follows an orbit similar to previous mini moons like 2022 NX1. These short-term captures occur when such bodies gain negative geocentric energy, making them temporary moons. Longer-term captures are rarer, occurring once every 10 to 20 years.
Can you spot a mini moon 2024 PT5?
While the arrival of a mini moon is an exciting event for astronomers and space enthusiasts, most skywatchers will find it difficult to observe 2024 PT5. At only 10 metres wide, the asteroid is too small to be seen with the naked eye or even most telescopes. Nevertheless, the discovery of this mini moon and its brief orbital stay underscore the dynamic nature of space around Earth.
Mini moons and their potential for future space exploration
Mini moons like 2024 PT5 hold potential for future space exploration. These small asteroids could contain valuable minerals and water, potentially serving as resources for future missions. As humanity continues to explore space, mini moons could become stepping stones for asteroid mining and other ventures. 2024 PT5 is expected to pass by Earth again in January 2025 and later in 2055.
What is a mini moon??
A mini moon is an asteroid or space debris that temporarily enters Earth’s orbit, often completing a full revolution around the planet before moving on.
Due to its small size, it is unlikely that the mini moon will be visible to the general public as it passes through Earth’s gravity.
