Asteroid 2024 PT5 to Become Temporary Mini-Moon of Earth
Discovered in August this year, 2024 PT5 is relatively small, measuring just about 10 metres in size.
By : Varun Keval
Update:2024-09-22 11:46 IST
A recent research paper has found that an asteroid called 2024 PT5 will be captured by Earth’s gravity and will orbit our planet for two months.
The study, published in the RNAAS journal, discusses how Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) can sometimes get drawn into Earth's orbit and become 'mini-moons.'
Discovered in August this year, 2024 PT5 is relatively small, measuring just about 10 metres in size.
Researchers estimate it will be pulled into orbit from 29 September to 25 November.
However, many NEOs that turn into mini-moons do not complete a full orbit, and 2024 PT5 is likely to be one of them.
This asteroid belongs to the Arjuna asteroid belt, which contains various NEOs.