Earth might gain another Moon, a miniature one, due to a rare phenomenon called gravitational trapping. Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, researchers from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, have announced an intriguing celestial event. A small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, is set to become Earth’s temporary mini-moon for approximately two months starting later this month. Their findings, published in the Research Notes of the AAS, reveal that Earth frequently captures asteroids, albeit briefly. This new mini-moon is expected to make one orbit around our planet before continuing its journey through the solar system.
Details of the Asteroid
2024 PT5, a small asteroid with a diameter of about 10 metres, was first detected last month by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System. Despite initial concerns, it has been confirmed that this asteroid is not on a collision course with Earth. The researchers used current measurements of its size, speed, and trajectory to predict that it will come close enough to Earth to be temporarily bound by its gravity.
The asteroid will complete one full orbit around Earth in 53 days, beginning at the end of this month and concluding around mid-November.
Origin and Characteristics
The researchers also estimated the asteroid’s origins, suggesting it is likely from the Arjuna asteroid belt. This belt is known for containing asteroids with orbits similar to Earth’s. The analysis indicates that 2024 PT5 is not space debris but rather an object of natural origin, given its trajectory resembles that of other natural celestial bodies.
Significance of the Discovery
The temporary capture of the Asteroid 2024 PT5 offers valuable insights into the dynamics of small asteroids and their interactions with Earth’s gravity. Historically, Earth has captured asteroids in similar ways; for instance, an asteroid orbited Earth for about a year in 2006, and another for several years before leaving in 2020.
This brief encounter with 2024 PT5 provides a unique opportunity for researchers to study such interactions and enhance our understanding of asteroid behaviour in our solar system.